Warm Up – January 23 Answer the following questions on a post it: 1. Describe one advantage and disadvantage of a primary source 2. Describe one advantage and disadvantage of a secondary source 3. What do you think the term “pre-history” means? 4. If early civilizations did not have writing, how can we learn about them?

Unit 1: Prehistory and the Early river valley Civilizations Early Humans

Prehistory Setting the State: Who are we? Evidence suggest humans could be much older than originally thought Scientists use artifacts to search for answers Artifact: human made objects like tools and jewelry Unfortunately, prehistory can leave more questions than answers Prehistory: time before the invention of writing

The Paleolithic Era Humans Migrate – Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age) Humans are known as homo sapiens which means “wise men” Early humans were nomads (highly mobile people who move from place to place foraging, or searching for new sources of food) All early humans were also hunter-gatherers Hunter-gatherers: those who food supply depended on hunting animals and collecting plant foods; made shelters out of animal bones Estimates show humans started leaving Africa around 125,000 years ago

Paleolithic Era Settled in Europe 33,000 years ago, China 67,000 years ago, Australia 38,000 years ago, North America 12,000 years ago, and South America 12- 33,000 years ago We know this due to similar stone tool artifacts found in different regions that date to roughly the same time period Shows that early humans used technology: applying knowledge, tools, and inventions to meet their needs Used cave paintings to show what they lived in, where they lived, what they hunted and the weapons they used to hunt

Cave Paintings Prehistoric humans used images from their daily lives and from their imaginations to create cave paintings using materials such as blood and soil Images showed: where they lived and what they lived in what they ate and how they caught it Showed the different tools that they used

Cave Painting Activity Imagine you are a prehistoric hunter-gatherer, and you are drawing on a cave wall to tell people what your life is like. You cannot use writing, only pictures. Show them the following things: 1. Where do you live? (mountains, beach, etc.) 2. What kind of tools do you use? 3. What animals do you hunt? What plants are you gathering? Cave paintings will be graded on completion (including all the things I ask you to show), artistic effort and being turned in on time. On the back of your cave painting: write a paragraph where you write about what you think the biggest challenges you think you would face living as a hunter-gatherer? What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a nomadic hunter-gatherer?

Migration out of Africa

Human Migration Why did they leave Africa? Competition with other humans Following Animal herds Human curiosity

The Neolithic Revolution Agriculture Changes Everything! Early nomadic humans lived in bands of 25-70 people Around 10,000 years ago, the Neolithic Revolution (New Stone Age) began: the beginning of farming It started accidentally when some women scattered seeds near a campsite and noticed crops growing there when they came back next season Rising temperatures worldwide provided longer growing seasons Farming produces more food than hunting or gathering

Neolithic Era More food means a higher population, thus more labor Due to labor and farming methods, permanent settlements developed Permanent settlements turn into villages, villages turn into cities, cities turn into civilizations Social classes begin to form based on wealth Variety of crops and products Once you reach a certain population, you can begin specialization Specialization: mastering production of one product

Neolithic Era Domestication or taming of animals began as well; use of Metal tools

Beginning of Civilization Eventually all of this led to the creation of the first civilization on Earth in Mesopotamia called Sumer

Characteristics of Civilizations Organized governments Religion Jobs Social Classes Art and Architecture Public Works

Map Questions Answer the following questions on the same post it as the warm up: 1. After examining the geography of the four early civilizations, what similarities and differences between the civilizations do you notice? 2. Why were rivers, mountains and deserts important geographic features for these early civilizations?

TOD – January 23 Answer the following questions on the same post it as the warm up: What is culture? How can we study a civilization’s culture if they did not have a form of writing? Describe three reasons why people began to migrate out of Africa? Describe the six characteristics of a civilization