Paleolithic Era “Archaeological evidence indicates that during the Paleolithic era, hunter-forager bands of humans gradually migrated from their origin in East Africa to Eurasia, Australia, and the Americas, adapting their technology and cultures to new climate regions.” - page 37 of framework What is the Paleolithic era? 2.6 million - 10,000 years ago Most humans hunted and gathered their food

Tools Humans developed diverse and sophisticated tools: Sharp knives Spears Bows and Arrows Fire: Defense against animals Force prey into enclosed areas to hunt Encouraged the growth of certain plants by destroying others

Living Structures People lived in small groups (bands) - 25 - 50 people - that impacted them in the following ways: Socially: Males were often hunters - often large animals Females were often gatherers Often egalitarian societies Life expectancy was 35ish Economically: Worked fewer hours than Neolithic counterparts Bands would trade goods with each other

Living Structures Politically: No chiefs or kings Bands had rules about sharing food Leaders would rise, but did NOT have permanent power People, ideas, and goods were exchanged between these groups

Neolithic Revolution Around 10,000 years ago, some humans began to domesticate plants and animals This led to communities, civilizations, and new economic and social systems

Why & Where Did Permanent Villages Develop? Possibly due to climate change (last Ice Age was 16,000 - 10,000 years ago), more fertile land became available Where? Mesopotamia Nile River Valley Sub-Saharan Africa Indus River Valley Yellow River Valley Papua New Guinea Mesoamerica Andes

Domestication Of Plants & Animals Mesopotamia Wheat and barely, goats, sheep, cattle Nile River Valley Wild grains, gourds, watermelon, cattle Sub-Saharan Africa Sorghum

Domestication Of Plants & Animals Indus River Valley Wheat, barley, cattle, sheep, goats Yellow River Valley Millet and soybeans, pigs, chicken Papua New Guinea Bananas, sugarcane, yam

Domestication Of Plants & Animals Mesoamerica Maize (corn), peppers, beans, tomatoes Andes Beans, Alpaca, llamas

Pastoralism Cultural Diffusion! What is it? Raising animals and moving them from one grazing area to another Where did it develop? Africa and Eurasia How did it affect the environment? Grass in certain areas would be destroyed Pastoralists also helped spread goods and ideas Cultural Diffusion!

Agricultural Communities’ Impact On The Environment Slash-and-burn cultivation: Trees would be burned to produce fertile soil Repeat process in a new area after a few years Fields would be cleared to grow crops Irrigation developed to grow crops

Quick Recap Human origins in East Africa Different tools used by humans, including fire How bands impacted human life Neolithic Revolution Plants and Animals in each region Pastoralism and its environmental impacts Agricultural communities’ impacts on the environment