1. Early Human History
Paleolithic art from Lascaux, France.

2. I. Stone Age Stone Age split into three distinct periods:
Paleolithic (Old Stone) Age – roughly 2 million years ago until 12,000 B.C.E.
Mesolithic (Middle Stone) Age – about 12,000 to 8,000 B.C.E.
Neolithic (New Stone) Age – about 8,000 to 3,000 B.C.E.
Life during Paleolithic age
Simple tool use (sticks, stones of varying shapes and sizes)
Nomads – highly mobile, moved from place to place looking for food
Hunter-gatherers – depended on hunting animals and collecting foods
Humans evolved to what we are today: Homo sapiens sapiens
Originated about 240,000 years ago in Africa

3. I. continued… Life in Paleolithic Age continued…
Population growth was slow – hunter-gatherer way of life cannot support large groups
Late Paleolithic – development of culture
A people’s unique way of life – helps explain the environment and rules for social behavior
Development of complex languages and speech
Entire world is populated by end of Paleolithic Age
Developments in the Mesolithic Age
Last great Ice Age ends, living conditions improve for most of the Northern Hemisphere
Human progress accelerates – tools, weapons become more sophisticated
Food storage, animal domestication (taming) begins
Population growth accelerated

4. II. Neolithic Revolution
Between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago, agriculture (farming) began
This is called the Neolithic (or Agricultural) Revolution
Took thousands of years to spread from Middle East (Fertile Crescent) to rest of world
Many groups began by practicing an early agriculture technique called slash-and-burn farming:
Cut and burned vegetation to clear a field – allowed to grow back after a year or two, once farmers have moved on
Further domestication of animals – horses, dogs, goats, pigs, sheep, camels

5. II. Continued…
Neolithic Revolution paves way for permanent settlements
Agriculture allowed larger groups to live in one place
Catal Huyuk
A Neolithic Age village, founded about 7,000 B.C.E. in modern-day Turkey
Population was in the thousands
Specialized workers and cultural life flourished
Drawbacks: natural disasters, diseases, warfare were common problems or people live closely together
Neolithic Revolution comic

6. III. Civilization
Permanent settlements, like Catal Huyuk, led to the emergence of civilization
Defined as a complex culture with 5 distinct characteristics:
Advanced cities – depend on trade for survival
Specialized workers – artisans (skilled workers) further developed tools and artistry through specialization
Complex institutions – governments, systems of law, economies, religions
All necessary in controlling a large population
Record keeping – keep track of taxes, communicate laws, record history
Advanced technology – new tools are needed to maintain and improve live in a large, permanent settlement

7. IV. End of Stone Age Bronze Age
Emergence of civilizations also brought about the end of the Stone Age
Bronze Age – began around 3000 B.C.E. with the widespread use of bronze (type of metal) tools