FIRST HUMANS:Prehistory -3500 B.C.

HOW DO WE KNOW?

•The period before history--prehistory-- is the period for which we have no written records.

•Archaeologists and anthropologists create theories based on this information.

ARCHAEOLOGY

•Archaeology studies the structure of past societies by analyzing the artifacts--tools, household items, weapons, buildings, artworks, religious figures, and any other tangibles that people have left behind.

•By studying tools and weapons scientists create theories about the economic and military structures of a society.

ANTHROPOLOGY•Anthropology focuses more

human life and culture by studying artifacts and human remains-human fossils.

•Examining bones and hides tells us about the diet of people.

SCIENTIFIC METHODS

• Archaeologists and anthropologists use scientific methods to create their theories.

• One of most important scientific tasks is dating prehistorical artifacts and fossils.

• Radio carbon dating-accurately measures up to 50,000 years old

• Thermoluminescence- measures accurately up to 200,000 years old

• DNA & Blood Molecule- gives information about the societies of prehistory.

Stages of Early Human Development

AUSTRALOPITHECINES

• Australopithecines (southern apes) were discovered by Donald Johanson.

• They lived in Africa 3-4 million years ago.

• They made stone tools and were the first hominids, creatures that walked upright.

Lucy

HOMO ERECTUS• This species dates from about 1.5

million years ago (“upright human being”)– Developed technology:

they became skillful hunters and invented more sophisticated tools

for digging, scraping and cuttingThey might also have developed the

beginnings of spoken language

were the first to move into parts of Europe and Asia

They could migrate into colder areas because they were the first to use fire deliberately for cooking and to keep warm.

Turkana boy

HOMO SAPIENS (Neanderthals)

•Homo sapiens (wise human being) emerged about 200,000 years ago.

•Had larger brain;•Developed a religious belief – they buried their dead

•Survived harsh winters by living in caves or temporary shelters made of wood and animal skins

Two groups developed from Homo sapiens: Neanderthals and Homo sapiens sapiens.Theories support that the

Neanderthals eventually died out

HOMO SAPIENS SAPIENS• Homo sapiens sapiens were the first

group of hominids that looked like us; appeared in Africa between 150,000 and 200,000 years ago; All human beings today belong to the homo sapiens sapiens subspecies

These early humans lived during the PALEOLITHIC AGE: (old stone age)

•A basic distinguishing feature of human beings is making and using tools (made of stone)– earliest period of human history.

– 2,500,000 to 10,000 B.C.E. (Before. Common. Era.)

PALEOLITHIC PEOPLE

Paleolithic people were hunters; developed better hunting tools like spears, bows and arrows, harpoons, and fishhooks.

gathered nuts, berries, fruits, and wild grains

PALEOLITHIC LIFE

•Paleolithic people were nomads, they moved from place to place, following the vegetation cycles and animal migrations.

•Most of their life was organized around and devoted to finding food.

EGALITARIAN LIFESTYLE• Paleolithic men and women were roughly

equal because they both shared the vital responsibility of finding food

• Both men and women found food, with men hunting (20% of calories) and women gathering (80% of calories).

• Women gathered fruits, nuts, berries and other plants close to camp because of their responsibility for bearing and raising children.

• Men hunted close to the camp also but were equally likely to travel a distance in order to make a kill.

• Both made decisions that affected the group.

TECHNOLOGY• The word technology refers to what

we make to sustain ourselves and control our environment.

How were tools made and what were they used for?

• Stone tools were made by using a harder stone like flint to create an edge on another stone (ex: hand axe – later, a handle was added to the stone axe)

• These tools were used to kill and butcher animals, cut plants, dig roots, and cut branches to build shelters.

SHELTERS

Which of the early peoples lived in caves?

•Later these Paleolithic people fashioned houses and huts, often using wood as a frame that was then covered with hides from animals.

•Sometimes they also used large animal bones as frames for their houses.

FIRE AND ICEWhy was fire important?• Paleolithic people used fire

systematically as long ago as 500,000 years.

• Fire gave warmth, it fostered a sense of community, it scared away wild animals, flushed out animals for hunting and was used to cook their food.

• Fire was especially important as a source of warmth during the Ice Ages, the most recent of which lasted from about 100,000 to 8,000 B.C.E.

PALEOLITHIC ART•Paleolithic people created art,

indicating that art is important to the life of human beings.

•One of the largest discoveries of Paleolithic art, done between 25,000 and 12,000 B.C.E., is at Lascaux, France.

PALEOLITHIC CAVE ART

•Most Paleolithic art is found in underground caves.

•Most of the images are of animals.

•These paintings were used in magical or religious rituals to bring about a successful hunt.

NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION

• Human survival depends on the systematic growing and storing of food, an accomplishment of the people of the Neolithic Age. After the end of the last Ice Age, around 8000 B.C.E., the Neolithic Revolution began.

•The real change was a shift from hunting and gathering to systematic agriculture.

•WHY THE SHIFT/MOVE?

SYSTEMATIC AGRICULTURE•Systematic agriculture means

planting crops and domesticating (taming) animals for food, clothing, and work.

•Some historians believe that this first agricultural revolution was the single most important event in human history.

DEVELOPMENT OF CIVILIZATIONS

•The ability to acquire food regularly gave humans greater control over their environment and made it possible to give up nomadic ways of life for settling into communities, a vital step in the development of civilization.

Activity!• List the characteristics needed for a successful

civilization 5,000 years ago. • Now list the characteristics for a successful

civilization today.• Answer the following questions:

– What do the similarities or differences in these two lists tell you about the changes that have occurred over the 5000 years?

– Do you think these changes have been for the better or worse?

– Do you think you would be more successful in one civilization than the other?

Create a graphic organizer to report your findings.

MESOAMERICANS•Systemic agriculture developed

all over the world between 8000 and 5000 B.C.E.

•Mesoamericans are the inhabitants of present-day Mexico and Central America.

•They grew beans, squash and maize (corn), also referred to as the “3 sisters.”

COMPLEX COMMUNITIES

• The Neolithic period brought many important changes: – More complex communities were

developed – Trade caused people to specialize – A division of labor developed– Basic crops were first cultivated– Cloth was first woven.

INCREASED TRADING• Because of increased food

production and storage, people had more food than they needed.

• These surpluses allowed some people to do work other than farming.

• Artisans made such things as jewelry and weapons.

• The selling of these items fostered increased trade.

SOCIETAL CHANGES

•Men became more active in farming and herding, which took them away from the home.

•Women did more domestic tasks like weaving.

•As men took on more responsibility for obtaining food and protecting settlements, they played a more dominant role.

BRONZE AGE

•Between 4000 and 3000 B.C.E., people learned to use metals.

•First they used copper.•Then people mixed copper and

tin to make bronze, a more durable metal.

•Historians call the period when bronze was in widespread use ( 3000 to 1200 B.C.E.) the Bronze Age.

Emergence of Civilization:What are the six most important characteristics of a civilization?

1. Cities•Culture is a people’s way of live.

•A civilization is a complex culture.

•The first civilizations and cities developed in river valleys.

2. Government• The first governments were led by

monarchs (kings or queens)who organized armies to protect their subjects and made laws to regulate their lives.

3. Religion• Many rulers claimed their power

came from the gods.• Some rulers even claimed to be gods

themselves.

4. SOCIAL STRUCTURE

• Social structures developed based on economic status.

• Rulers, priests, officials, and warriors were the upper classes

• A class of priests developed to perform rituals for pleasing the gods.

• Below them was a class of free farmers, traders, artisans, and crafts people.

• At the very bottom were the slaves and servants.

5-6. WRITING & ART

•Writing was used to keep records and for creative expression through literature.

•Arts such as painting and sculpture were developed to portray natural forces or gods and goddesses on temples and shrines.

QUESTIONS?