1. Hunter-Gatherer Societies
Chapter 1
Section 2

2. Hunter-Gatherer Societies
Early humans were hunter-gatherers, which means that they lived by hunting small animals and gathering plants.
In this section, you will read about the societies that these people formed and developments that improved their chances of survival.

3. How Early Hunter-Gatherers Lived
Archeologists know very little about how early hunter-gatherers such as Lucy lived. But they do know their lives were often harsh.
Many groups appeared for a time and died out. To survive and grow, early humans developed technology, tools and skills that people use to meet their needs and wants.

4. The Development of Tools
About 2.5 million years ago, early humans learned how to make tools out of stone. This technology was important to human survival.
Archeologists called this period the Paleolithic Era, or Old Stone Age.
At first, the tools made by early humans were simple. Toolmakers split stones to make cutting tools for chopping down small trees, cutting meat, or scraping animal skins clean.

5. The Development of Tools
Over time, toolmakers became more skillful, making thinner and sharper stone blades. Some blades were used to tip spears and arrows.
Toolmakers also began making weapons from bones and antlers.
As their skills and weapons improved, Paleolithic hunters were able to turn from hunting small animals to hunting larger animals such as deer.

6. The Use of Fire
At some time during the Paleolithic Era, people learned how to use fire.
Making fire was a technology that had many different uses. With fire, people could have light on dark nights.
They could cook meat and plants, and use flames to scare off dangerous animals.
Fire it made it possible for hunter-gatherers to live in places where it would have otherwise been too cold to survive.

7. Importance of Fire
“The control of fire was presumably the first great step in man’s [Freedom] from the bondage of his environment……….Man is no longer restricted in his movement to a limited range of climates, and his activities need not be entirely determined by the sun’s light. But in mastery of fire man was controlling a mighty physical force.” - V. Gordon Childe, British Archeologists

8. Wandering Bands
The culture of early societies was simple. Culture includes many different elements that make up the way of life of people.
Elements of culture include:
Social and family organization
Beliefs and values
Technology •Rituals
Shelter and clothing •Art
Common activities
Storytelling

9. Wandering Bands
Stone Age hunter-gatherers lived in small groups, or bands. A typical band included ten or twelve adults and their children.
Many of these people were nomads, people who move from place to place with the seasons.
After gathering as much food as they could in one area, they moved on to the campsite.
Sometimes these bands used caves as shelters. More often, they built temporary huts out of branches or tents from animal skins.

10. Wandering Bands
Hunter-gatherers spent many hours each day looking for food. Men and boys generally did the hunting.
Women and girls usually gathered fruit, grains, seeds, and nuts. They collected eggs and honey and caught small animals such as lizards and fish. They also may have picked herbs for medicine.

11. Later Stone Age People
Toward the end of the Paleolithic Era, two groups of larger-brained humans appeared; Neanderthals and Modern Humans.
Both groups had more developed cultures than earlier peoples. However, only one of these groups would survive past the Stone Age.

12. Neanderthals
A group known as Neanderthals appeared in Europe and Asia about 200,000 years ago.
Their name comes from the Neander Valley in present-day Germany, where their fossils were first found.
Some archeologists believe that the Neanderthals were the first people to bury their dead. Remains of flowers and other objects in burial sites may be evidence the Neanderthals carefully buried bodies and may have believed in life after death.

13. Neanderthals
Other archeologists, however, disagree that Neanderthals believed in life after death.
Even if Neanderthals did bury their dead, their burial practices were much simpler than those of later people.

14. Modern Humans
About 100,00 years ago, the last new group of humans appeared. The scientific name for this group is Homo sapiens, which means “wise people.” They were the first modern human, or people like us.
These people were like Neanderthals in some ways. Both groups made tools, used fire, and hunted animals.
Modern Humans, however, were taller and less muscular. They also developed a powerful new skill, complex language.

15. Modern Humans
The ability to form words probably was not a skill that Neanderthals had.
One scientist who had studied the remains of Neanderthals claims they made a sound resembling a frog’s croak or burp.
Homo sapiens, on the other hand, did have the ability to form words. Having a shared language gave them a great advantage in the struggle to survive.
They could organize and hunt, warn off danger, or pass knowledge and skills on to their young.

16. Modern Humans
For thousands of years, Neanderthals and modern humans lived near each other, but Neanderthals eventually disappeared.
Some archeologists believe they fought with the newcomers and lost. Others think the groups mixed together.
Whatever the cause, there is no fossil evidence of Neanderthals in Europe after about 28,000 years ago.