Early Man

Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic

Earliest Humans2.5 Million Years ago, earliest humans in Ethiopia

– 240,000 Years ago, Homo Sapiens Sapiens– 100,000 Years ago, developed speech

Humans:

–Pros:•Opposable thumb•Regular sex drive: aids reproduction•Omnivores•Speech and facial expression

–Cons:•Violent against species•Dependant babies•Back problems•Knowledge of imminent death

Hunters and Gatherers

Benefits– Worked 7 hours every 3

days

– Men and women equal

– Little warfare

Downside– No stable food supply

– 2.5 miles per person, so limited number of people Earliest known blog post

Stone AgesPaleolithic (Old Stone Age) 1 million – 12,000 BCE

– Use of Fire

– Simple stone and wood tools

– Erect, bigger brain

– Rituals, cave paintings, goddesses

– Spread over much of earth

** Around 25,000 BCE People went over Bering Land Bridge to Americas**

Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) 12,000 – 8000 BCE– Shaped stone and bone tools: needles, fishhooks, awls

– Rafts, canoes

– Pots, baskets

– Domesticated cow

– Growth of population = more wars

Neolithic (New Stone Age) 8000 – 4000 BCE– Agriculture

– Cities

Bering Land Bridge, 25,000 years Ago

Neolithic Revolution 8000 BCE

End of last Ice Age 10,000 BCE– Population increases– Retreat of big game, must feed more on

smaller game– Needed better food supply– Developed agriculture

• Developed independently in China, Middle East, and Americas

Led to end of Hunting and Gathering because:– Cleared forests– People in citied developed immunity to

disease, H&G did not

Changes and Continuities of AgricultureChanges:– Higher birth rate: H&G babies breast fed

until 4 or 5, Farm babies until 18 months

– Reduced migration, sedentary instead of nomadic

– Specialization leads to social inequality and hierarchy

– Larger groups lead to disease

Continuities– Slow to change; people afraid of new ways

– Challenge of hunt valued

– Agriculture makes men take on traditionally feminine roles; begin to claim superiority to women

Time World Population

10,000 BCE 4 Million

5,000 BCE 5 Million

3,000 BCE 14 Million

2,000 BCE 27 Million

1,000 BCE 50 Million

500 BCE 100 Million

Bronze Age

Around 4000 BCE: discovery of metal tools in Middle East– First copper then bronze (copper and

tin)– By 3000 BCE no more stone tools in

Middle East– Benefits:

• Work the ground easier• Better weapons

Earliest Civilizations:– Yellow River, Nile River, Indus

River, Mesopotamia, Andes