Prehistory Notes

I. Prehistory O Long before humans used metal, about three and a half million years ago, a huge explosion shook a part of what is now Tanzania in East Africa. O In 1976, a group of scientist looking for evidence of early humans discovered foot prints. O The footprints are almost identical to those made by modern humans walking in wet sand. O A million years after the footprints were made, our human ancestors used tools.

II. Earliest Human Culture O The first use of stone to create tools began in the earliest known period of human culture: The Stone Age. O They also made tools from wood and animal bones. O Scientist think the Stone Age continued for hundreds of thousands of years, until people learned to use metal tools. O Archaeologists divided the Stone Age into three periods. O Old Stone Age O Middle Stone Age O New Stone Age

II. Earliest Human Culture (cont.) O During the Old Stone Age, early humans did not yet know how to farm. O They were hunter-gathers, people who survived by hunting animals and gathering wild plants.

III. Fire! O Between 1,400,000 and 500,000 years ago, our ancestors learned how to use fire.