Early Human Beings

The Big Bang Around 13.7 billion years ago Huge explosion created everything there is in the universe, all energy that will ever exist. The Big Bang created galaxies, stars and planets, including our own, Earth

Earth Created around 4.5 billion years ago Earth’s conditions allowed for life to develop Around 3.5 billion years ago, first living organisms start to develop (single-cell organisms) 65 million years ago: Dinosaurs become extinct due to an asteroid hitting Earth.

Early Human Beings – Paleolithic Era Early human beings were hunter-gatherers. Hunted small animals and gathered plants. Life was harsh and short. 2.5 million years ago – 10,000 years ago: Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age) Humans start using stone tools (2.5 million years ago) Sharper stone blades would serve as weapons Hunted larger animals

Early Human Beings Use of Fire Light, cook meals, scare animals Made it possible to live in different climates, colder areas Early hunter-gatherers lived in small groups, or bands people and their children Nomadic lifestyle (moved from place to place)

Surviving the Stone Age Near the end of the Paleolithic Era, two groups of larger- brained humans appeared. Neanderthals (disappeared around 30,000 years ago) Homo Sapiens, or “Wise People” – Modern Human Beings

Migration of Early Human Beings Two main theories for this migration: 1. “out of Africa”: Around 100,000 years ago, homo sapiens migrated out of Africa and slowly replaced other groups they encountered throughout the world. 2. Multiregional model: Development of modern humans occurred in different locations in Africa, Asia, and Europe at different times.

Migration of Early Human Beings

Surviving the Ice Age – The End of the Paleolithic Era Adaptation to the world’s climate Building of new shelters Forming larger communities to hunt and defend themselves Clans: people with leaders. Artwork developed in caves Horses, bison, bulls, etc. New Religious beliefs and practices Burial Practices (ex. People buried with necklaces) Believed natural world was filled with spirits (animism)

The Last Ice Age Humans spread out across the globe (in clans of people) in search of game and edible plants around 70,000 years ago. The ice created a bridge (Bering Strait) between what we now call Siberia and Alaska. Humans crossed this bridge to North America and spread to South America very quickly. The ice age ended about 10,000 years ago (8000 BCE), leaving humans living all over the world. The ice bridge between Siberia and Alaska melted, leaving humans in the Americas separated from the rest of the world.

The Stone Age Old Stone Age Paleolithic Age 2,500,000 to 8000 BCE Made stone chopping tools Hunter-gatherers Humans migrated across the globe End of the Paleolithic coincided with the end of the last ice age Cave paintings and small carvings New Stone Age Neolithic Age BCE Humans made numerous tools, as well as jewelry, from bone, wood, stone, tusks, etc. Pottery Permanent settlements Agriculture (farming) Animal domestication Modern human beings left as the only hominids on the planet

Think: What could be some of the consequences of farming?

What are some of the consequences of farming? ProsCons Produced more food and required less land than hunting More people were able to build permanent settlements Provided new sources of material for clothing Planting crops and herding animals took a great deal of time Farming was uncertain. If crops failed, families could starve Nomads sometimes attacked villages to steal food. Clearing areas for farming could lead to deforestation, clearing an area of trees

The Effects of Farming

Catalhoyuk One of the world’s very first permanent settlements – Populated more than 8,000 years ago Located in what is now Turkey Population of approximately 6,500 people – 1,000 dwellings crammed together – No need for complex government – No streets – people climbed out through ladders in their ceilings Supported by agriculture and animal domestication – Barley, peas, wheat – Cattle, sheep

Catalhoyuk Typical Catal Huyuk interior (restoration).

What would be the pros and cons of living in a settled community? ProsCons

Why Live in a Settled Community? Pros Common culture expressed Mutual protection Near farms Grain and seed storage Cons Disease spreads more rapidly among a dense population Grain stores were tempting to raiders Permanent settlements suffered from natural disasters (drought, fire, floods )