Facts about the Stone Age By Josh

Why is it called the Stone Age? Because the people used tools & weapons made of stone.

When was the Stone Age? The Stone Age started almost 2.5 million years ago and ended completely in 2500 BC. So the Stone Age lasted for about 2.49 million years It is divided into 3 different periods. Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) Neolithic (New Stone Age) Here is a drawing of what men from the Paleolithic Age may have looked like.

Why did the Stone Age end? The people started to smelt copper and tin. The introduction of Bronze metallurgy marked the end of the Stone Age. Bronze replaced stone as the primary material for tools and weapons.

Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age) The longest period of the Stone Age when cave-men existed. Man gathered food by hunting wild animals and birds, fishing and collecting fruit and nuts. Humans made tools from stones and pebbles. Near the end of the Paleolithic Age humans started to make shelters, wear clothes and build sculptures. The Paleolithic Age ended in 9600 BC with the end of the Ice Age.

Mesolithic Age (Middle Stone Age) Began with the end of the Ice Age in 9600 BC. Humans began adopting different techniques of hunting, fishing and gathering food. Humans were adapting to the changing ecological conditions.

Neolithic Age (New Stone Age) Humans formed settled communities and villages. They transitioned from food-collecting to food producing. They raised cattle and cultivated crops.

4 Types of Stone Age People Tool-makers (Homo habilis) – The first humans to make stone tools. Fire-makers (Homo erectus) – The first humans to learn how to make fire. Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) – They made warm clothes from animal skins & fur. They lived in caves with their families. Modern Humans (Homo sapiens) – They made art & painted rocks and walls with pictures. They grew crops & raised cattle.

Stone Age Children…… Had a very healthy life. Ate fresh meat & fruit. Learned to hunt from a young age. Worked hard & developed strong & healthy bodies.

How did they hunt in the Stone Age? They started with long sharp sticks. Later they used bows & arrows, or spears made with tips of bones & flints. They cut the animals with sharpened pieces of stones & cooked the meat on fire. They used the animal skins for clothing & making shelters.

What kind of animals lived in the Stone Age? Woolly Mammoth (extinct) Woolly Rhinoceros (extinct) Cave Bear (extinct) Giant Deer (extinct) Hippopotamus Hyena Wild Boar Wolf Sheep