Prehistory Prehistory – the time in human history before the invention of writing What sources can we use to understand the “prehistoric” world?

Unwritten History Oral histories Drawings Stuff they left behind

Oral Histories Storytellers prized in many cultures, and stories are passed down for generations Problems: “Whisper down the lane” effect Dead people don’t tell stories

Drawings Mostly, cave paintings Famous pictures from Lascaux (France)

Cave Paintings Art is in the eye of the beholder Stories? Actual events? Religious beliefs? Nice pictures? Textbooks?

Artifacts Something made by people

Fossils Solidified remains of living things

Using Artifacts Some assembly required Like a giant puzzle with no idea what the picture will be What if we use things for different purposes? If we know what, do we know when? Some things get lost

Studying the Past Archeology Anthropology

Archeology The study of the human past by examining artifacts and remains Excavation Hoping to find ancient settlements, burial sites, tools, etc.

Anthropology Study of human origins, relationships, and cultures Try to determine how humans evolved (physically and culturally) Archeology is a subfield of anthropology What is culture?

Culture Culture is a system of beliefs, values, and assumptions about life that guide behavior and are shared by a group of people Everyone has culture What does culture include?

Early Humans

Early Humans Start our story at the dawn of the Paleolithic Era, about 2.5 million years ago the Old Stone Age Humans created the first tools made out of stone

Better than Monkeys Early humans developed Simple stone tools Control of fire Oral language All keys to cooperating in hunts, which bring food and resources

Wise Man Smarter, larger-brained humans known as homo sapiens (Latin for “wise man”) Developed technology Clothing Shelter Art Homo sapiens are modern humans

Out of Africa Homo sapiens arose in Africa about 200,000 years ago Migration to all continents (except Antarctica) beginning around 100,000 years ago

Hunter-gatherer Life People Profiles

Source of Food Hunting Gathering Get it? Hunter-gatherers! Main source, whatever they could catch, kill, and cook! Gathering Wild fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, etc. Get it? Hunter-gatherers!

Size of Groups Small groups Why? Clans: 60-100 people, one or a few extended families Why?

Permanent Settlements No! They were nomads Why move? Follow herds No food left Seasons change Too cold or hot No water left

Location Factors Mainly, Paleolithic (and prehistoric) people followed their food Animals migrate, so did the people Overpopulation (of people) Overconsumption (of resources in one spot)

Getting Along Cooperation was necessary for survival Knew everyone in their clan – all relatives No private property – no where to put it No fighting other groups – no one around Finding food…just not that hard

Neolithic Age Neolithic Age means: New Stone Age How did Neolithic Age differ from Paleolithic Age? Learnt to polish tools Make pottery Grow crops and domesticated animals

Neolithic Revolution Shift from hunting and gathering to farming

Neolithic Revolution Cont. Provided a steady source of food and extra Causing Need to store food Permanent Settlement Population growth Specialization and Organization

Early Farming Methods Crops Animals Slash and burn faming Cut tree or grass and burnt them to clear a field Ashes fertilized the soil Domestication taming of animals Happened slowly Human being to control some animals lives

Where did it happen? First seen in the fertile crescent Later in river valleys