1. Lesson 2.1 The First People

2. Scientist Study Remains Historians call the time before writing was invented as prehistory. Writing originated only 5,000 years ago. Humans have existed millions of years before writing. Historians rely on archaeologists and paleontologists to explain prehistory.

3. Scientist Study Remains Mary Leakey found one of the bones to the first hominids, an early ancestor of humans, in 1959. The bones belonged to an Australopithecus, the first hominid. Donald Johnson, found another hominid, whom he called Lucy, that was nearly 3 million years old. It pointed to a hominid’s ability to walk upright.

4. How do we know how old we are? (VC)(VC) One of the most common techniques for measuring the age of human remains is called Carbon-14 dating. This technique dates organic matter, or matter that used to be alive. Scientists measure how much type of carbon, carbon-14, in the object has decayed to become nitrogen-14. A process that happens at a regular, measurable rate.

5. Scientist Study Remains In 1994, Tim White found an early ancestor, which is a relative who lived in the past, that was aged at 4.4 million years old. The reason we study bones today is that the study of ancient bones gives us information about our human ancestors.

6. Hominids and Early Humans Australopithecus, was the first hominid and existed around 4 million years ago in Africa Homo habilis, appeared next around 2.4 million years ago. Habilis means “handy man”, and was the first to use stone tools. Homo erectus, which means “ upright man”, appeared 1.5 million years ago. They were the first to control fire and to migrate out of Africa

7. Hominids and Early Humans By 200,000 years ago Homo Neanderthalensis had appeared in Europe. The Neanderthals had large brains and more round heads then their predecessors, however they could not reason and their speech was limited. They were expert hunters, who hunted bison. However they died out at the hands of modern humans. Modern man, classified as Homo sapiens or wise man, appeared around 200,000 years ago. They soon migrated around the world.

8. The First Tools The earliest part of this period was the Paleolithic Age, or Old Stone Age, which began about 2.5 million years ago and lasted until around 8000 B.C.

9. Stone Age Tools (VC)(VC) The Stone Age is the early period in human history when people began using stone to make weapons and tools. Tools, are any handheld object that has been modified to help a person accomplish a task and it was the earliest skill that was developed

10. Tools Scientists found the oldest tools in Tanzania, Africa. The sharpened stones were about the size of an adults fist and found to be 2.6 million years old. These first tools helped the early humans to process food

11. The Invention of Tools The methods Paleolithic people used to hunt and gather food were part of their culture, as were the tools they used. Tools increased their chances of survival A recreation of one of the oldest known dental drills. A tool with a flint tip was used to fix tooth decay. Remember- this was BEFORE the invention of anesthetic!

12. Later Tools The next tool to be made was the hand axe, which was made out of a mineral called flint. Flint is easy to shape and very sharp. By attaching the sharp flint to wooden poles, they created the spear. As a result man could hunt large animals.

13. Fire Fire is one of the most important discoveries made. Early humans tamed fire, perhaps from blazing branches from trees struck by lightning. Creating fire allowed humans to live in cold environments, caves, and provided protection against predators. The use of fire to cook also led to a greater variety of foods in diet.

14. Hunter-Gatherer Societies Paleolithic people were nomads, or people who moved from place to place in search of food for survival. Paleolithic people survived by forming societies, which is a community of people who share a common culture.

15. Hunter-Gatherer Societies These early humans were hunter- gatherers. The men would hunt in groups. The women would gather plants and seeds to eat. They stayed near camps to care of the children.

16. Language, Art, and Religion An important advancement that happened during the Paleolithic Age was the development of spoken language. Before this time, people communicated through sounds and physical gestures. Spoken language was required for hunting purposes, the formation of new relationships, and the distribution of food

17. Language, Art, and Religion Another way people communicated was through the use of art. People would carve images on stone, ivory, or bone. Cave paintings have been found all over the world. Artists used crushed yellow, black, and red rocks and combined them with animal fat to make paints. Few humans appear in the paintings, mostly animals – lions, oxen, panthers, etc. Cave paintings were ways that early people expressed themselves or to teach hunting practices or religious beliefs

18. Language, Art, and Religion Scientists know little about religions of prehistory, but they have found graves that included artifacts and food.

19. Stone Age Medley (VC)(VC)

20. Questions (pages 28-34) Cambridge: Answer in a complete sentence 1. What characteristic did Homo erectus have that modern humans also have? 2. How was Homo erectus different from Homo habilis? 3. When do Scientists believe the first modern human appeared? 4. Where have the oldest stone tools been found? 5. Who were hunter-gatherers? 6. How did early humans express themselves?