World History Big Idea=First Humans Essential Question: Where did humans live? How did they live, and what happened to them?

Prehistory Before humans could write and record history researchers would depend on archeological methods to track human development. The investigation of biological evidence that these civilizations left behind. Archeologist dig up artifacts left behind by these civilizations to examine how they lived.

Archeology The study of past civilizations and artifacts: tools, buildings, weapons. Using analysis such as Radiocarbon dating All humans absorb C-14 from the atmosphere leaving trace amounts of C-14. After death humans start losing C-14 leave a timeline for remains that are extracted from the earth

Anthropologist Use the same evidence to track the history of civilizations and societies that have existed throughout time. Fossils are plant or human remains that are preserved in rock.

Stone age Archeologist have coined the phrase “Stone Age” for a the prehistoric period when civilizations used stone to create tools. The Stone age is divided into two parts old and new. The Old Stone or Paleolithic period lasted from 500,000 BC to 10,000 BC. BC= Before Christ…AD or Anno Domini Latin for “In the Year of our Lord” Scientist indicate that 10,000 BC also marks the end of the last ice age…glaciers covered much of N. America, Asia, and Europe. Ocean levels dropped and exposed much of today’s earth surface.

Paleolithic Civilizations Paleolithic peoples were hunters and gathers…a nomadic people who moved with the food source. Hunting for food or picking wild berries or nuts. Small groups of 30 known as hunting bands would travel to forage for food living in caves or shelters made of grass or branches called Lean-tos. Evidence shows there was a spoken language and some of these civilizations had used fire for warmth, cooking, and keeping animals away. Tools=axes, arrows in the beginning. Then they became more advanced and developed tools for everyday life, more specialized for specific task such as, fishhooks, spears, scrapers. Cave paintings for this time period are believed to have religious meaning to these societies.

Neolithic period 10,000 BC – 3500 BC Stopped moving to find food and began farming. They domesticated animals Raised them for food and work Raised crops for food Anthropologist conclude these societies developed in the Middle East then branched out to Africa They grew crops that were suited to the climate Women farmed while men hunted Permanent dwellings meant farming villages and more sophisticated tools Primitive governments and social orders were developed They believed that spirits and gods controlled forces of nature, life and death

Neolithic revolution The Neolithic Revolution period of human history from 8,000-4,000 BC…instead of chasing food they grew it…systematic agriculture Domestication=taming animals for food and work Mesolithic age=middle stone age is where this gradual shift from nomadic culture to producing food and farming developed between 10,000 BC and 7,000 BC Crops=Barley in Europe, wheat in Africa along the Nile Valley…both domesticated animal Mesoamericans occupied Central America and Mexico…grew maize, beans, squash

Hominids to Homo sapiens Hominids=human like walked upright 4 million BC Australopithecus “Lucy”=small brain no tools, 3.5 million years ago Homo habilis “handy Human” 2.5-1.6 million years ago developed and used tools Homo erectus “upright humans” 1.8-100,000 yeas ago human proportions, arms and legs first to leave Africa Homo Sapiens “wise Humans” 200,000 years ago rapid brain growth mastered fire Neanderthals 100,000-30,000 BC moved throughout modern day Europe…made clothes from animal skins, buried dead, many stone tools Homo Sapiens Sapiens150,000-200,000 years ago-similar to humans today…found throughout Africa….replaced Neanderthals, historians believe Homo Sapiens Sapiens replaced Neanderthals

The End of the Neolithic Age By 4000 BC craftsmen had discovered by heating some rocks they would turn to liquid. Once this liquid cooled it hardened into a much more durable tool that not only was not only more effective digging tool but it lasted longer. So these crafts people developed molds to create tools that were more efficient

Bronze Age 3000 BC – 1200 BC Artisans in Asia discovered that if you combined copper and tin created bronze. A more durable sustainable substance that made life easier, and helped develop these civilization into farming communities

Iron Age After 1000 BC Iron tools that were better than the bronze predecessor