Scientists believe that life began on the continent of Africa 3.6 million years ago……

NeanderthalCro-MagnonModern Man

Cro-Magnon man - early Homo sapiens (the species to which modern humans belong) that lived about 40,000 years ago.

Role of Artifacts rubin/images/artif... Let us know more about ancient cultures Somewhat limited – theories have formed to attempt to explain the past

 The Paleolithic Era, was a period of time that lasted until about 8000 B.C.

Man survived by hunting animals and gathering roots, berries, leaves, and seeds.

Paleolithic Era people eventually began to hunt in groups. These antlers may have been used as a disguise during the hunt. Cave Art showing men hunting in groups

Nomads- people who move from place to place as a group to find food for themselves.

 Culture- A way of life for a group of people who share similar beliefs and customs.  Technology- tools and methods used to perform a task

Humans used stone, wood, and bone tools to survive during the Old Stone Age.

Bow found in Denmark Bone Harpoon Hand Axe Flint Blades used to sharpen tools

using a flint blade to skin an animal using a flint blade to butcher a carcass

There was another important development – the discovery of fire There was another important development – the discovery of fire.

Many Stone Age people were Nomads, or people who move from place to place to find food for themselves.

TThis era lasted from 8000 B.C. until 4000 B.C.

people began to settle in one place.

 In Present day Turkey  6000 residents  Simple mud brick houses  Doors on the roof

hhumans began to change their diet and eat grains and small animals.

 Agriculture is the raising of crops and animals.  The development of agriculture began over a long period of time and in more than one place.  People no longer needed to travel great distances to gather food.

 People learned how to domesticate plants and animals.  To domesticate means to train something to be useful to people.  Early people learned to care for plants such as wheat, barley, peas, and lentils.  The first farmers also domesticated wild goats, cattle, and sheep.

Man domesticated wild wheat. Ancient charred wheat grains are shown in the picture above.

 Thousands of years ago, an ear of corn did not make much of a meal. (top)  It took thousands of years of careful breeding for ears of corn to reach their present size. (bottom )

 People still used stone, bone, and wooden tools, but some new tools were added by using copper and bronze.

These early farming tools date back to around 8,000 years ago. The axe, bottom, was used for clearing; flint sickles, left, were used for harvesting cereal crops; a flat rock and rounded stone, center, were used for grinding flour; and perforated clay slabs, upper right, were probably used to ventilate bread ovens.

Prehistory I.Paleolithic Age – Old Stone Age (Est. 2 mil BC-9000 BC) 1.Hunters & Gatherers A.Nomad: Moving from place to place in search for food. B.Men  hunted & fished. C.Woman  gathered fruits, nuts, etc. 2.Way of Life A.Cave paintings B.Stone tools & pottery C.Domesticated dogs II.Neolithic Age – New Stone Age (9000 BC – 3000 BC) 1.Farming  Neolithic Revolution A.People could remain in one place. B.Herding of animals – goats, sheep & cattle. 2.Community – A.Council of Elders/Chief – made important decisions. B.Warrior class C.Kept possessions.

 Specialization- the act of training for a specific job  Shrines- a place where people worship  Economy- deals with the making, buying, and selling of goods and services

 Monarchy- a type of government used in the Neolithic Era where a queen or king inherits the position of ruler.

Early People Section 1: Studying the Distant Past Archaeologists study prehistoric times by examining things that early peoples left behind. The study of fossils has helped archaeologists learn about the lives of the earliest humans. Archaeological studies suggest that the earliest humans

Early People Section 2: Hunter-Gatherer Societies Hunter-gatherer societies moved from place to place, hunting small animals and gathering plants for food. The development of tools and the use of fire helped the people in hunter gatherer societies improve their lives. Modern humans developed the ability to use language, which helped them to survive.

Early People Section 3: Populating the Earth By about 12,500 years ago, modern humans had spread to many regions of the world, including Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, North America, and South America. Modern humans adapted to Ice Age conditions by building shelters and making warm clothing. By forming larger groups, modern humans adapted in order to better hunt and defend themselves.

The Beginning of Civilization Section 1: Early Agriculture Over a long time, hunter-gatherers domesticated plants and animals, and most groups became farmers. Although the Middle East was the first center of agriculture, farming appeared in several other parts of the world. Permanent farming settlements developed, and surplus food allowed some people to become crafts workers.