Social Studies Grade 6 Ch. 1 “Digging Up the Past” Click Mouse to Advance

Lesson 1

Beringia A prehistoric “land bridge” that once connected Asia with North America

Prehistory The long period of time before people developed systems of writing and written language

Archaeolgy The study of past cultures through the things that remain such as buildings, tools, or pottery

Archaeologist A scientist who uncovers evidence, or proof, from the past

Artifact An object made by people long ago

Migrate To move from one place to another

Glacier A huge ice sheet

Ice Age A period of time when glaciers covered great stretches of land

Fossil The bone of a long dead human or animal. Plants may also become fossilized.

Lesson 2

Technology The way in which humans produce the items they use

DOMESTICATE To tame

Harvest To gather

Excation Site (or excavate) A site where archaeologists uncover artifacts

The raising of plants and animals Agriculture The raising of plants and animals for human use

is stored in these buildings.) Surplus An Extra Supply (Extra grain is stored in these buildings.)

Nomad A person who travels from place to place without a permanent home

Social Division/ Specialization A group that does a certain type of work

Climate The average weather conditions of a place over a long span of time

Carbon Dating A method of estimating the age of something after it has died

Stone Age The period of time when humans relied primarily on stone tools

Old STone Age (Paleolithic) The early, longer period of the stone age when little progress was made

New Stone Age (Neolithic) The late period of the Stone Age when humans made great improvements in technology

Lesson 3

Culture The way in which individuals and groups react with their environment, including their technology, customs, beliefs, and art

The study of how people have lived and developed in a cultural group. Anthropology The study of how people have lived and developed in a cultural group.

Anthropologist A person who studies how people have developed and live in cultural groups

Landform A natural feature of Earth’s surface such as a valley, plain, hill, or mountain

Geography The study of the relationship between physical features, climate, and people

Diverse Different

A group of people who have a complex and organized society Civilization A group of people who have a complex and organized society within a culture