Introduction to Prehistory & History

History vs. Prehistory Prehistory: – no written record – reliance on artifacts alone History: – written record – reliance on artifacts AND written record

Professions Anthropologist: studies human beings and how they live in groups Archaeologist: anthropologist who specializes in searching for clues to how human beings lived in the past Historian: uses written record to piece together what happened in history

Evolution of Prehistoric Man Australopithecus2.6 mya Homo erectus1.5 mya Homo sapiens250,000 ya A. Neandarthal100,000-30,000 B.C.E. B. Homo sapiens sapiensAppeared 200, ,000 ya; replaced Neandarthals 30,000 B.C.E.

Periods of Prehistoric Time Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) 2.5 mya – 10,000 B.C.E. Agricultural Revolutionca. 11,000 – 10,000 B.C.E. Neolithic (New Stone Age) 10,000 – 5,000 B.C.E.

Characteristics of Paleolithic vs. Neolithic PaleolithicNeolithic nomadic hunters-gatherers small bands (20-30 ppl) simple tools & weapons (ex. digging sticks, spears, axes, fish hooks) spoken language clothing (animal skins) fire cave dwellers/cave paintings settled communities (villages) agriculture domesticated animals simple government more advanced tools & weapons (ex. sickles, hoes, plows) woven cloth pottery  inequality b/t women & men

Characteristics of Civilization (1) cities (2) central gov’ts./military (3) complex religions (4) job specialization (5) social classes (6) arts & architecture (7) public works (8) writing

Emergence of Civilizations When: ca. 3,000 B.C.E. Where: river valleys in Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China Why: still debated … possible explanations: – challenge & response – material: food surpluses enable job specialization & development of large communities – nonmaterial: religion provides sense of unity enabling organization

Historical Dating B.C. (Before Christ) -OR- B.C.E. (Before the Common Era) A.D. (Anno Domini – “In the year of Our Lord”) -OR- C.E. (Common Era) Christian Secular

Historical Dating 2 nd c. B.C. = B.C. 2 nd c. A.D. = A.D. 1900s = 20 th century

Primary vs. Secondary Sources primary source: original materials from the time period; without interpretation – Ex. diary, interview, letter, birth certificate, speech, art, photo, literature secondary source: accounts written after the fact with the benefit of hindsight; interpretations of primary sources – Ex. biography, journal article, book on a history topic