1. Define what you think ancient history is and why it is important to you?

2. Prehistory

3. History Time period AFTER writing was developed
Uses written evidence to tell how people lived in the past
Examples:
Scrolls, Textbooks,
Government Documents,
Primary sources,
Secondary Sources

4. Prehistory: Time period BEFORE writing was developed
Example: Cave Drawings

5. When did prehistory begin?
There are many theories:
40,000 B.C. when first modern “humans” roamed the earth
1,000,000 years ago
6,000 – 8,000 years ago (c. 4,000 – 6,000 B.C.)

6. How do we learn about Prehistoric Times?
Oral Traditions – stories passed down by word of mouth.
Many oral traditions are legends/myths – they are not true.
People were trying to answer questions about things they saw in nature and they came up with stories to tell their ancestors.

7. How do we learn about Prehistoric Times?
Artifacts – objects made by human beings
During the Stone Age, people made weapons and tools primarily out of stone. They also used bone and wood.

8. Archaeologists at Work

9. How do we learn about prehistoric times?
Cave Paintings
Paintings on the walls of prehistoric caves
Usually tell a story

12. What can Cave Drawings tell us about life during Prehistoric Times

13. The Stone Age: First period of prehistoric times
Period of time when people made weapons and tools out of stone, bone, and wood
The Stone Age is divided into three periods – Old Stone Age, Middle Stone Age, and New Stone Age

14. The Old Stone Age: Paleolithic Period
People were nomads – traveled from place to place in search of food
Hunting and Gathering was the main source of food
Men were the hunters
Women were the gatherers

15. The Old Stone Age Developed a spoken language Invented clothing
Used caves or rocky overhangs for shelter
Learned to build and control fire

16. What was fire used for during the Old Stone Age?

17. What was fire used for? Cooking Ward off animals Warmth Light
Religious ceremonies

18. The Middle Stone Age: Mesolithic Period
Characterized by the use of more advanced tools
A lot of times the Old and Middle Stone Ages are grouped together

19. The New Stone Age: Neolithic Period
Began around B.C.
People began to practice farming
Permanent Settlements

20. The New Stone Age
People changed from being hunters and gatherers to being farmers.
People not only learned how to grow their own food, but also how to domesticate, or tame animals. This provided a dependable source of meat, milk, wool, and hides.

21. DO NOW!
Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of farming society to a hunting and gathering society.

22. The New Stone Age
People also learned how to domesticate plants and animals – adapt wild plants for human use

23. The New Stone Age:
Farming led to the development of civilization – a society with cities, a central government, job specialization, and social classes
People no longer had to be nomads, they could settle in one location

24. Word of the Day
Civilization

25. The New Stone Age:

26. II. Characteristics of Civilization
Population Growth – food surpluses allowed families to have more children
Cities and towns were built
Public buildings – food storehouses, buildings for worshipping gods, buildings for selling and buying goods

27. II. Characteristics of Civilization
Job Specialization – people specialization in one specific type of job.
Artisans – a worker who is specially skilled in crafting items by hand
Make items such as baskets, leather goods, tools, pottery, or cloth

28. II. Characteristics of Civilization
Government – Kept order in society and provided services
Social Classes – groups of people with similar backgrounds, incomes, and ways of living

29. III. Many civilizations developed near rivers. Why?
Advantages?
Source of water – for irrigation
Source of trade/travel
Disadvantages?
Disease
Flooding

31. IV. Copper Age Began around 6600 B.C. in some parts of the world
People discovered they could get copper from certain rocks

32. V. The Bronze Age
Around 3000 B.C., people learned they could mix copper with tin to create bronze – Beginning of the Bronze Age.
Bronze was much harder and was used to make weapons, tools, helmets, and shields more durable

33. Timeline of Prehistoric Times
New Stone Age
Bronze Age
Copper Age
Old Stone Age
10000 B.C.
8000 B.C.
6000 B.C.
4000 B.C.
2000 B.C.
8000 B.C.
6600 B.C.
3500 B.C.
Writing Develops/End of Prehistory
Farming Begins