1. Chapter 1 – The Emergence of Civilization
3,700,000 B.C. – 1,200 B.C.
Section 1: Prehistoric Peoples
Section 2: The Foundations of Civilization

2. Prehistoric Peoples Objectives:
How do anthropologists, historians, and
geographers study prehistory?
What were the achievements of Neanderthal and
Cro-Magnon peoples?
What important changes did the Neolithic
agricultural revolution cause?

3. Exploring Prehistory
Anthropologists are scientist who study the remains of skeletons
Hominids are humans and early human-like creatures
Archeologists study ancient civilizations
Archeological digs produce artifacts
Artifacts can be tools, clothing, art work, toys, etc. that were used by early hominids
Archeologists use artifacts to determine the type of culture early civilizations had

4. Exploring Prehistory Continued
Donald Johanson
Led a team that discovered early human remains in Ethiopia
Named the female skeleton “Lucy”
See Quote Page 7
Mary Leakey found another skeleton that was similar to Lucy in Tanzania (Video)
Prehistory that deals with people using stone tools is called the Stone Age (2.5 Million Years Ago)
Divided into three parts
Old Stone Age / Paleolithic (Pre-History)
Middle Stone Age / Mesolithic (lasted from Pre-History until 10,000 years ago)
New Stone Age / Neolithic (lasted until about 4,000 years age)

5. Early Humans The First People
From Anthropologist we know that early humans:
Had strong jaw bones, receding chins, low foreheads, and heavy brow ridges
They ate seeds, fruits, nuts, and other plants
Became good hunters
Evolved into homo-sapiens between 400K and 100K years ago

6. Early Humans Continued
The Ice Age
Over the last 1.7 million years the Earth has had extremely cold periods
Each cold period lasted from 20,000 – 140,000 years
We live in a “warm era” which started about 10,000 years ago
Once the ice melts water receded and land bridges were formed
People were able to migrate and farm
Video

7. Early Humans Continued
Neanderthal People
Lived 35,000 – 130,000 years ago during the Paleolithic Period (video)
Tools were becoming more efficient (video)
Buried meat and tools with their dead
This showed a belief in the afterlife
Eventually they disappeared (new group of stronger people conquered or new ice age began)
Video

8. Early Humans Continued
Cro-Magnons
Appeared in Europe 35,000 years ago
Continued improvement of tools
We have learned about them from artwork of hunted animals (video)
By 10,000 years ago Cro-Magnons were extinct

9. Agricultural Revolution
Mesolithic Age
Used fish hooks, bow and arrow, fish spears, harpoons made from bone
People tamed dogs for hunting
Used canoes
People were still nomadic
Neolithic Age
Began to use chipped stone and wood instead of bones for tools
People began to settle down and produce agriculture
They also began to domesticate animals
SEE CHART PAGE 9
It was a long process of progress for humans that is why it is called the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution

10. The Foundations of Civilization
What three main characteristics are shared by
civilizations?
What two other characteristics may be shared
by civilizations?
What other characteristics and achievements
marked the first river valley civilizations?

11. Characteristics of a Civilization
Four main regions where civilizations began
Huang (Yellow) River Valley – China
Nile River Valley – Egypt
Tigris and Euphrates River – Middle East (Iraq and Iran)
Indus River Valley – India
Three main characteristics of a civilization
People produce a surplus of food
People establish large towns or cities with some form of government
People perform different jobs in the civilization

12. Characteristics of a Civilization Cont.
Surplus of Food and Irrigation
All four early civilizations had similar problem
The river would flood during rainy season
The river would dry up during the dry season
They learned to use irrigation ditches and retention walls
Cities, Government, and Labor
Governments made rules to guide peoples behavior
As farming improved fewer people were needed to work in the fields
Division of Labor were formed where people would learn different skills to make money
Artisans (skilled workers)
Merchants
Traders
The spread ideas and other aspects of culture from one area to another is called cultural diffusion

13. Other Characteristics
Two more accomplishments to be a civilization
Calendar
Most early calendars were lunar
Some form of writing (see page 14)
Began around 300 B.C.

14. The River Valley Civilizations
The use of metals
6,000 years ago copper was used in the Middle East and Egypt
Bronze eventually took over the use of copper
Bronze marked the end of the Stone Age and began the Bronze age
The Bronze Age came to an end with the use of iron and the Iron Age began

15. The River Valley Civilizations
Family and Religion
Women managed the family
Made food
Made Clothing
Made Pottery
Weaved
Did much of the farming
The plow shifted most of the control back to men
Men had always been the primary influence in society
There were a variety of gods that most people believed in, most dealt with gods of nature