Lesson 2

Early Hominids – Hunters and Gathers History Alive

Section 1: Introduction Prehistoric humans left clues about their lives in cave paintings. Scientists call these prehistoric humans hominids. In this chapter, you will learn about five important groups of hominids.Three kinds of “history detectives” that study the past are archaeologists, historians, and geographers. The study of hominids involves a fourth type, paleoanthropologists. Paleoanthropologists specialize in studying the development and culture of the earliest hominids. (Paleo means “ancient.”)In 1974, an American paleoanthropologist named Donald Johanson made an exciting discovery. While searching for artifacts under a hot African sun, he found a partial skeleton. The bones included a piece of skull, a jawbone, a rib, and leg bones.After careful study, Johanson determined that the bones had come from a female hominid who had lived more than 3 million years ago. She is one of the earliest hominids ever discovered. Johanson nicknamed her “Lucy,” from the Beatles’ song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” which was playing at his celebration party.What have scientists found out about Lucy and other hominids? How were these hominids like us? How were they different? What abilities did each of the five hominid groups have?Let’s find out.

Donald Johanson with “Lucy”

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Interactive Notebook1. Think of your favorite superhero from a comic strip, book, or movie. In the space below, draw

a simple picture of your superhero using lots of color and write his or her name. (on the next

page)

2. List two or three capabilities your superhero has. In complete sentences, explain why these

capabilities are important.

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Section 2: Australopithecus Afarensis: Lucy and Her RelativesScientists usually give Latin names to groups of living things.(Latin was the language of the

ancient Romans who ruled a great empire for a thousand years, starting about 500 B.C.E.) An

anthropologist in Africa called the earliest known group of hominids Australopithecus (aws-

tray-loh-PIH-thuh-kuhs), meaning “southern ape.” Donald Johanson called Lucy’s group

Australopithecus afarensis. The second part of this name refers to the Afar Triangle, the part of

Africa where Lucy was found.

Through their studies of Lucy, scientists have learned a lot about early hominids. By assembling

her bones, they know something about what she looked like. Lucy was short compared with

humans today—between 3 and 4 feet tall. She had a mix of ape and human features. Her arms

were long, but her hands and feet were similar to a modern human’s. She had a large head, and

her forehead and jaw stuck out from her face.

The remains of other hominids like Lucy have been found in the same area. Scientists guess

that Lucy’s relatives lived in Africa, about 3 to 4 million years ago.

How are hominids like Lucy related to later hominids and to us? Anthropologists often disagree

about the answer to this question. One reason may be that anthropologists have so few clues to

work with. Bones as old as Lucy’s are very hard to find. Even so, most anthropologists agree

that Lucy and her relatives were very early forms of humans.

One discovery about Lucy was especially exciting. By studying her skeleton, scientists found out

that she was a biped. That means she had the capability to walk on two feet. This gave Lucy

and her relatives many advantages compared with animals such as gorillas and

chimpanzees. With their hands free, the hominids could gather and carry food more easily. They

could also use their hands to defend themselves and their children.

This biped trait was one key way in which Lucy resembled us. But in other ways, hominids like

Lucy were quite different from modern humans. Lucy’s brain was only about one-third the size

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of ours. Scientists have not found any remains of tools from Lucy’s time. The study of Lucy’s

remains indicate that these early hominids likely could not speak.

Interactive Notebook

1. In the image below, color or draw the key capability of this hominid. Label it. 

2. In the space below, write the scientific name of this hominid. Then list any other nicknames for this hominid group.

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3. Write the time period in which this hominid lived. 

4. Explain why the capability you labeled was important for survival. Include the

following term in your explanation: biped.

Section 3: Homo Habilis – Handy Man

Homo Habilis: Handy Man

A second group of hominids was discovered by the husband and wife team of Louis and Mary Leakey. When the Leakeys were searching for evidence of early hominids in Africa, they discovered some hominid bones. The bones were scattered among artifacts that looked like tools. The Leakeys named their discovery Homo habilis (HA-buh-lis), or “Handy Man,” in honor of this hominid group’s ability to make tools.

Handy Man lived a little closer to our time than Lucy did, about 1.5 to 2 million years ago. Like Lucy, this group combined ape and human features. They also walked on two feet. But they were taller than Lucy. Their features were slightly more humanlike, and their brains were twice the size of hers.

Scientists have discovered Handy Man remains only in Africa. Sometimes, the bones of more than one Handy Man were found together. It is likely that these hominids lived in groups. This would have helped them survive. They could have worked together to protect themselves against animal attacks. They also could have collected food over larger areas of land.

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The tools found by the Leakeys were an important clue about this hominid group. Their larger brains and their ability to use tools were key differences between the Handy Man group and hominids like Lucy. These traits show that Handy Man was more advanced and more like modern humans than Lucy was.

Handy Man’s tools were very simple. These hominids used animal bones as digging sticks and rocks as chopping tools. They also made sharp pieces of stone for cutting.

Making a tool, even a simple one, takes thought and effort. First, the hominids had to think about what kind of tool was needed. Then, they had to plan how to make it. Finally, they had to craft the tool themselves and try using it. Handy Man may even have passed these early skills on to others.

The ability to make tools helped Handy Man live better and longer than Lucy and early hominids like her. The use of cutting tools allowed these later hominids to tear the meat from dead animals. Crushing tools may have helped them crack animal bones, to eat the marrow inside. Handy Man hominids may even have dug or made traps for small animals.

Section 4: Homo Erectus – Upright Man

Homo Erectus: Upright Man

A third type of hominid was discovered in 1891 by a Dutchman named Eugene Dubois

(doo-BWAH). While he and his team were searching for artifacts on the island of Java, off

the southern coast of Asia, they found a new type of hominid skull.

In time, Dubois’ team discovered the bones of many more hominids. As scientists

assembled the bones, they observed that these hominids stood up straight. Dubois named

this hominid group Homo erectus (UH-rek-tuhs), or “Upright Man.” (At this time, Lucy and

Handy Man had not yet been discovered.)

Upright Man lived on Earth longer than any other hominid group, from 1.8 million to 200,000

B.C.E. Scientists believe that they were the first hominids to migrate out of Africa. Their

remains have been found in both Asia and Europe.

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It is no wonder that scientists have found the bones of Upright Man in many places. This

group of hominids was well-suited for traveling. They were taller and thinner than earlier

hominids—some even reaching the height of modern humans. Their bones were very

strong. And they were good walkers and runners.

The facial features of Upright Man looked more like those of modern humans than the faces

of earlier hominids. Upright Man hominids had foreheads that were round and smooth. But

they still had a large ridge above the eyes, a thicker skull, and a jaw that stuck out.

Like Handy Man, hominids in the Upright Man group were toolmakers. But their larger

brains enabled them to invent more complex tools, including strong hand axes made of

stone.

One of Upright Man’s greatest advantages was the ability to use fire. Anthropologists have

found burned animal bones in the same places as Upright Man remains. This is a clue that

Upright Man may have used fire to cook animal meat.

Scientists aren’t sure whether these hominids were hunters or merely gatherers, finding

dead animals to eat. But studies of their tools and teeth show that they ate more meat than

earlier hominids did. They feasted on red deer, elephant, rhinoceros, goat, boar, and

oysters.

The remains of an ancient campsite found in France have offered additional clues about

how Upright Man lived. Scientists guess that this group built oval huts by covering posts

with tree branches. The group kept a fire burning in the center of the hut. It is likely that

group members sat and slept on animal skins.

They may have decorated their bodies with yellow-colored mud called ocher.

Scientists believe that Upright Man groups moved from place to place, building shelters with

tools, and using fire to keep warm. These capabilities helped them travel farther and survive

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for longer periods than earlier hominids could. The ability to construct shelters allowed

Upright Man to adapt to colder climates and live in areas without caves or other natural

shelters. The ability to control fire helped them survive the cold, cook animal meat, and

protect themselves from predators.

Interactive Student Notebook1. In the image, color or draw the key capabilities of this hominid. Label each one.

2. Explain why each capability you labeled was important for survival. Include the following

terms in your explanation: tools, clothing, weapons, artwork.

Section 5: Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis

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In 1856, some mine workers in Germany’s Neander Valley found a skeleton. It had thick bones and a ridge above the eyes, but was also very humanlike. Today, most scientists consider this fourth group of hominids to be a distinct type of Homo sapiens (“Wise Man”), the large-brained group that modern humans belong to. Scientists call this group Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, or Neanderthal (nee-AN-der-tahl) Man.Neanderthals lived after Upright Man, from 200,000 to 28,000 years ago. Neanderthals lived in Africa, Europe, and parts of western Asia.The appearance of the skeleton found in Germany led scientists to believe that Neanderthals walked hunched over, with their hands dragging on the ground. As it turned out, the skeleton was of an older man who had a bone disease. In reality, Neanderthals walked upright. They were shorter and stockier than modern humans, but they were also much stronger.Most important, Neanderthals had large brains. They used their intelligence to become skilled toolmakers. More than 60 types of Neanderthal tools have been found. These tools required much more planning, skill, and knowledge than the tools made by earlier hominids. Neanderthals created knives, scrapers, and spear points. They learned how to make sharp, thin blades by breaking off the top of a rock and then chipping two or three sharp flakes from the original piece.The ability to make better tools improved Neanderthals’ chances for survival. But their ability to work together helped even more. Neanderthals lived and traveled in groups. And they were the first early hominids to hunt in an organized group.Scientists believe that Neanderthals may have had a sense of community. When members of a group died, their bodies were laid in burial mounds, along with hunting tools and flowers. This is a clue that Neanderthals cared about one another and had a sense of ritual.When on a hunt, Neanderthals worked together to surround and trap an animal. Then they would close in and kill it with spears. Evidence suggests that if some hunters were injured, other group members would help them.

Paleoanthropologists have found some Neanderthal bones showing signs of serious breaks that had healed. These clues lead them to think that Neanderthals helped members of their group who were hurt or sick.Scientists interpret these indications that Neanderthals cared for each other to mean that Neanderthals lived as a community. This capability would have given them benefits

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in surviving. For example, they would have been able to learn from the experience and the wisdom of older members of the group.How exactly are Neanderthals related to the early modern humans? Scientists aren’t sure. Judging from the remains that have been found of both groups, Neanderthals existed side by side with early modern humans for about 10,000 years. No one knows the reason why Neanderthal populations disappeared. All we know for certain is that only one type of Homo sapiens survived to become early modern humans.

Interactive Notebook

1. In the image, label each key capabilities of this hominid.

2. In the space below, write the scientific name of this hominid. Then list any other nicknames for this hominid group. 

3. Write the time period in which this hominid lived. 

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4. Explain why each capability you labeled was important for survival. Include the following

terms in your explanation: groups, spears, community. 

Section 6: Homo Sapiens Sapiens – Double Wise Man

In 1879, an eight-year-old Spanish girl named Maria was off exploring a cave with her father when she made an amazing discovery. She found a cave room filled with ancient paintings of deer, bison, wild horses, and boars. They were the first prehistoric cave paintings ever discovered.The people who created these ancient cave paintings were the earliest members of our own group, Homo sapiens sapiens (SAY-pee-enz), or “Doubly Wise Man.” Homo sapiens sapiens first appeared about 150,000 years ago. Most scientists believe that they originated in Africa. From there, they spread to Europe, Asia, and Australia. Eventually, they migrated to North and South America, probably traveling across land bridges, which were later covered by water.The first modern humans looked more like us than the Neanderthals did. They had high, rounded skulls, large brains, small teeth, and slender bones. But their bodies were not as well adapted to the cold as those of Neanderthals. Early modern humans may have survived because of their ability to create better tools, shelter, and clothing.As toolmakers, early modern humans were even more skilled than Neanderthals. They attached thin blades to bone, antler, and stone to create a wide variety of tools. They made tools used for engraving and sculpting. They fashioned needles for sewing animal skins together. They also built shelters of earth and stone.These prehistoric humans were also better hunters than earlier hominids. They made hooks and spears to catch fish. Most important, they invented the spear thrower and the bow and arrow. Armed with these weapons, they could hunt from a distance, making hunting much safer.

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Through their artwork, early modern humans left behind a fascinating record of their lives. They left paintings on the walls of their caves. Artists also carved and shaped images out of clay, bone, flint (a hard mineral), and ivory. They even created musical instruments.Prehistoric artists created a variety of images. Some images came from the world around them, like the animals they hunted. Some images came from their imaginations, such as mythical creatures. These early artists also made patterns using shapes. Paleoanthropologists think the artists may have signed their work with handprints.Why did early modern humans create art? Many scientists believe that they painted to express themselves. Some think that pictures were used to teach children. Others think that images had religious purposes.One thing is certain. These early humans did not merely exist in their world. They had many feelings about it and created images to communicate those feelings. They had the ability to express thoughts to others through pictures and symbols. Some scientists believe that these abilities were able to contribute to the development of complex language, one of the capabilities that makes us fully human.

Interactive Notebook

1. In the image, label each key capabilities of this hominid.

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2. In the space below, write the scientific name of this hominid. Then list any other nicknames for this hominid group.

 

3. Write the time period in which this hominid lived.

3. Explain why each capability you labeled was important for survival. Include the

following terms in your explanation: tools, clothing, weapons, and art work. 

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Wrap UpIn this chapter, you learned about the capabilities of five hominid groups.“Lucy” and Her Relatives A scientist found the bones of a hominid who lived more than 3

million years ago in Africa. He nicknamed the bones Lucy. Lucy belonged to the

group Australopithecus afarensis. She had the capability to walk on two feet.

Handy Man and Upright Man The group Homo habilis, or Handy Man, was taller than Lucy

and had the capability to make simple stone tools. The group Homo erectus, or Upright

Man, were the first hominids to migrate out of Africa into Asia and Europe. They stood up

straight and had the capability to make tools, fire, and shelters to protect them from the

cold.

Neanderthal Man and Doubly Wise Man The group scientists called Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, or Neanderthal Man, had large brains, made complex tools, and lived in

communities. Homo sapiens sapiens, or Doubly Wise Man, made more complex tools, were

skilled hunters, and created artwork.

Enrichment EssayPiecing Together the Story of Early HominidsHave you ever put together a jigsaw puzzle? You start with a picture that shows what the

completed puzzle will look like. Then you fit the pieces together until they make up that

picture.

Suppose, though, that you didn’t have a picture to work with, but only the pieces? Even

worse, what if most of the pieces were missing? How hard would the puzzle be then?

That’s the situation facing scientists who study early hominids. These scientists are trying to

understand how and when early hominids developed. The puzzle pieces they work with are

bits of bone that are millions of years old. Scientists know that they have only some of the

pieces. Each new find gives them another clue to work with.

Gradually, the overall shape of the picture becomes a bit clearer. For instance, scientists

today agree that hominids first appeared in Africa. But only 60 years ago, even this much of

the picture was unclear. It took many finds to convince scientists that Africa was the

birthplace of early hominids.

Each of these finds was the result of hard, patient work. Here you will learn about some

other important pieces of the hominid puzzle—and the people who found them.

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The Taung ChildIn 1924, an anthropologist named Raymond Dart examined an ancient skull that had been

found in a quarry in Taung, South Africa. The skull belonged to a young, apelike creature. It

became known as the Taung Child. Dart gave the fossil a more scientific

name: Australopithecus africanus. This name is Latin for “southern ape from Africa.”

The Taung Child was the first Australopithecus fossil ever found. It is 2 to 3 million years

old. Dart was thrilled by the discovery. He thought it showed that the earliest hominids

appeared in Africa. Other scientists disagreed. At that time, many of them believed that

hominids first appeared in Asia. Over the next 20 years, a Scottish anthropologist, Robert

Broom, collected more and more Australopithecus fossils in Africa. By the 1940s, most

scientists had to agree that Dart was right.

"Nutcracker Man"Far to the north, Mary Leakey found more puzzle pieces at Olduvai Gorge in East

Africa. Mary and her husband, Louis, had spent 30 years searching the gorge for hominid

remains. In 1959, Mary found hundreds of bits of bone. When she pieced them together,

they made up the skull of a previously unknown type of hominid. The fossil was nicknamed

Nutcracker Man for its large jaw. Today it is called Australopithecus boisei. It is more than

1.7 million years old.

More evidence was found by Mary and Louis’s son, Richard Leakey. Richard found his first

fossil when he was just six years old—a part of an extinct pig. As a young man, he began

leading expeditions in East Africa.

Richard made many important finds, including skulls and other bones of Homo habilis and Homo erectus. In 1970, he found another Nutcracker Man fossil.

Richard’s most famous discovery came in 1984, near Lake Turkana in Kenya. Most hominid

fossils are small parts of the body. The new find was a nearly complete Homo erectus skeleton. Known as the Turkana Boy, it is about 1.6 million years old.

Richard’s wife, Meave, has also hunted fossils in Africa. Among her finds are still more

species of early hominids. Richard and Meave’s daughter, Louise, has worked with Meave

on field expeditions, continuing the proud Leakey tradition.

Footprints at LaetoliMary Leakey made many finds during her long career. The one that excited her the most

was a truly fantastic discovery: hominid footprints more than 3.5 million years old!

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Mary’s team spotted the footprints in 1976 at Laetoli. This site is about 30 miles south of

Olduvai Gorge. The footprints were found in a layer of volcanic ash. Apparently, a volcano

erupted shortly after the footprints were made. When the ash hardened, it preserved the

footprints.

Besides being amazingly old, the footprints were important for another reason. The

creatures that made them had walked upright on two feet. The footprints were even older

than the famous fossil nicknamed Lucy. They showed that hominids were walking upright at

a very early date.

A Truly Ancient HominidTim White, an American anthropologist, helped excavate the Laetoli footprints. He also

worked with Donald Johanson, who found Lucy. White’s own teams have made a number of

other finds. One of them pushed hominid history even farther back in time.

In 1994, White was working in Ethiopia. An African member of his team discovered hominid

fossils that proved to be 4.4 million years old. The fossils had a very ancient combination of

apelike and humanlike features.

White and his co-workers called the new species Ardipithecus ramidus. The

word ramid means “root” in the Afar language of Ethiopia. The researchers thought that the

fossil was very close to the root of the hominid family tree.

These discoveries, and many more like them, are helping scientists to piece together the

story of early hominids. Scientists often argue about exactly how the pieces fit together and

what the big picture looks like. Meanwhile, they keep on looking. They know that there are

many more pieces of the puzzle scattered around Africa, waiting to be found.

Interactive Student NotebookFollow the directions below to complete the Common Core Activities. Your answers will be sent to your teacher.1Create a cover for an issue of Dig It! magazine that highlights the discoveries of scientists studying early hominids. Your cover must include

• an imaginative subtitle.• attractive visuals of three discoveries made by scientists studying early hominids.• brief captions that describe each discovery and explain why it is important to the study of early hominids.

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• writing that is free of grammar and spelling mistakes.• other colorful and creative touches.

Lesson 3 From Hunters and Gathers to Farmers

Section 1: Introduction Scientists have identified and studied five important groups of hominids. Like the hominids

before them, early modern humans hunted and gathered their food. In this chapter, you’ll read

about how early people learned, over thousands of years, to produce food by farming.

Humans discovered farming toward the end of the Stone Age. This period gets its name from

the stone tools prehistoric people made and used. Historians divide the Stone Age into two

periods. The first is the Paleolithic Age, or Old Stone Age. During this period, people got food by

roaming from place to place to hunt wild animals and gather nuts, berries, and seeds from the

plants they found.

By about 8000 B.C.E., some people had learned how to raise animals and crops for food. This

knowledge enabled these people, for the first time, to live in one place. The Neolithic Age, or

New Stone Age, had begun.

This gradual shift from hunter-gatherers (food collectors) to farmers (food producers) is one of

the most important advances in human development. People built permanent shelters. They

settled in larger communities. Together, they produced what they needed. People developed

new skills and made a variety of things that improved the quality of their lives. Over time, they

also began to exchange goods with people in other communities for the things they lacked in

their own villages. In this chapter, you will explore the many ways in which the development of

farming changed human life.

Interactive Notebook1. Think about one way that the invention of the computer changed people’s lives. Complete

the following sentences to explain what life was like before the computer, and today.

In the past, ...

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2. But today, ...

Section 2: From Old Stone Age to New Stone

The Old Stone Age, or Paleolithic Age, began about 2 million years ago, with the first tool

making hominids, and lasted until about 8000 B.C.E. It was during this time period that early

modern humans developed. Like the hominids before them, early humans were hunter-

gatherers. They wandered from place to place, hunting animals and gathering plants for

food. Often, they took shelter in caves. Prehistoric cave painters left clues about their way of

life.

The New Stone Age, or Neolithic Age, began when people started to farm and produce

their own food. The discovery of farming did not happen all at once. Over thousands of

years, people gradually learned to raise animals and plant crops. They eventually began to

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rely on these farms for their food. Now, rather than having to roam long distances in search

of things to eat, people could settle down in one place.

The Neolithic Age began around 8000 B.C.E. and lasted until about 3000 B.C.E., when

people learned to make tools out of metal instead of stone. During this time, farming

developed in many places throughout the world, including parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, and

the Americas.

Many Neolithic settlements were located in the Fertile Crescent, east of the Mediterranean

Sea, where the land was fertile (good for growing crops).Here, people built towns such as

Jericho (JER-ih-koh), Catal Hoyuk (CHAHT-ul hoo-YOOK), and Jarmo (see map).

People in settlements like these lived very different lives from earlier hunter-gatherers. They

could now concern themselves with other matters such as building permanent shelters and

forming larger communities. They could make better tools and clothing. And they could

swap items they had with other communities to get the things they lacked. As you will see,

these changes made life safer, more comfortable, and more interesting.

Interactive Notebook 1. Briefly describe what life was like in the Paleolithic Age and the Neolithic Age.

2. Where were many Neolithic settlements located and why?

Section 3: Creating a Stable Food Supply

During the Paleolithic Age, people obtained food by hunting animals and gathering plants.

They did not have a stable, or dependable, food supply. Wild plants and animals grew

scarce when people stayed in one area for too long. And hunting was dangerous. Hunters

were often injured or killed.

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Gradually, people found ways to lessen their dependence on hunting and gathering. Instead

of gathering wild plants, people discovered that they could plant seeds and harvest

crops. Over time, farmers learned which seeds produced the most crops in the areas where

they lived.

Early farmers also learned how to domesticate animals, to raise and use them for people’s

needs. They raised sheep, goats, and cattle for the meat. Goats and cattle also provided

milk. Mules helped carry heavy loads and pull plows.

These two developments—the growing of crops and the domestication of animals—are

called agriculture. The Neolithic Age began with the invention of agriculture. For the first

time, people had some control over their food supply. Let’s explore why this change was

one of the most important advances in all of history.

Section 4: Making Permanent SheltersThe first great change agriculture brought about was the use of permanent shelters. During

the Paleolithic Age, people had lived in caves or rough, tent like structures. These

were temporary shelters because hunter-gatherers were nomads. They had to move

often, to follow the wild animal herds or to find new plants to eat. As people settled down to

farm during the Neolithic Age, they built shelters that were more permanent.

In many areas, people used mud bricks, packed together, to build houses that were round

or rectangular in shape. Sometimes, people added stones and tree branches to the mud to

strengthen the walls and roof. These houses had openings high in the walls. Historians

believe that people may have climbed ladders to reach the openings and enter the house.

Inside were several rooms. Places to store food were built right into the floor. Pits for

cooking were also dug into the floor, and lined with clay. People may have filled the pits with

water, dropping in hot stones to make the water boil for cooking.

The development of permanent shelters was important in several ways. Houses gave

people protection from harsh weather and wild animals. Houses made life more

comfortable. People could cook food in new ways. The long-lasting shelters enabled people

to settle together in larger communities.

Section 5: Establishing CommunitiesThe ability to raise food by farming allowed people to settle in permanent shelters. These

structures, in turn, enabled people to form larger communities. In Paleolithic times, small

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bands of perhaps 20 to 60 people wandered from place to place in search of food. As

people began growing food, they settled down near their farms. As a result, towns and

villages grew up, like those at Jericho (in present-day Israel) and Catal Hoyuk (Turkey).

Living in communities made it possible for people to organize themselves more

efficiently. They could divide up the work of producing food and other things they needed.

While some people grew crops, others built houses and made tools.

Village dwellers also learned to cooperate to do a task more quickly. For example,

toolmakers could share the work of making stone axes and knife blades. By working

together, they could make more tools in the same amount of time.

With many of their basic needs now met, people had more time and energy for other

activities. They could invent new ways of making their lives more comfortable and much

safer. Larger communities could defend themselves more easily against their enemies. The

Neolithic town of Jericho, for example, was protected by strong stone walls. All of these

changes in farming villages led to growing populations.

Section 6: Developing New Jobs

Having a stable food supply allowed people to develop new kinds of jobs. In Paleolithic times, people’s main job was finding enough food to survive. With farms providing steadier supplies of food, Neolithic people could develop more specialized skills.A good example is the town of Catal Hoyuk, which dates back to about 6000 B.C.E. Historians believe that the townspeople of Catal Hoyuk worked in a variety of jobs. Besides farmers, there were weavers, basket makers, toolmakers, and traders.Focusing on one job at a time gave people the opportunity to improve the ways they worked. In Catal Hoyuk, farmers learned how to grow more than 14 kinds of food plants. Clothing makers developed a way to spin and weave. They wove natural fibers

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such as wool and linen into comfortable cloth. In some regions, people mined flint so that stoneworkers could create sharper tools.

Neolithic people didn’t merely want to survive. They wanted to make themselves, and their surroundings, more beautiful. They decorated their pottery and baskets with geometric shapes. Stoneworkers learned to polish stones to make shiny jewelry and mirrors. House builders added special rooms to honor the gods and goddesses they believed in.One effect of the development of different jobs was to inspire workers to improve their skills. This led to newer and better ways of doing things. And different jobs added much greater variety to community life.

Interactive Notebook1. What was the most important job in the lives of Paleolithic people?

2. Answer each question for Neolithic Nick.

Why was the development of different jobs important?

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3. Why did Neolithic people decorate pottery and polish stones?

4. What were some of the specialized jobs of the townspeople of Catal Hoyuk?

Section 7: Beginning of TradeAnother major change introduced in Neolithic times was the growth of trade. Paleolithic

hunter-gatherers rarely traded with other groups. They were mostly concerned with the

animals, plants, and other resources they found nearby. As people settled in towns and

villages, trade became a more common activity.

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Usually, people trade to get resources they do not have in their own area. As Neolithic

people became more skilled in their crafts, they wanted materials that would improve the

strength and beauty of the things they made. Getting those resources became the job of

traders.

Traders often traveled hundreds of miles in search of these materials. They crossed

mountains on foot, rode donkeys across deserts, and sailed the Mediterranean Sea on

ships.

What kinds of things were traders looking for? Popular items included flint and

obsidian. Obsidian is a black glass found at volcanic mountains. Craftspeople used it to

make knife blades, arrowheads, and mirrors. People also traded for “beauty products” like

shell ornaments and a red ore called hematite. Women rubbed hematite on their lips and

cheeks to make them redder.

The growth of trade allowed people to make use of more resources. It also brought them

into contact with people from distant places. These contacts helped spread ideas and

knowledge throughout the ancient world.

Interactive Notebook1. What resources did Paleolithic people use?

2. Why was the growth of trade important?

3. Why did Neolithic people trade?

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4. How did Neolithic people conduct trade?

Wrap It UpIn this chapter, you learned how the development of farming changed people’s lives between the Paleolithic Age and the Neolithic Age.A Stable Food Supply During the Paleolithic Age, people lived as nomads, obtaining their

food by hunting animals and gathering plants. Gradually, people discovered they could grow

crops and domesticate animals. These two developments are called agriculture. Agriculture

marked the beginning of the Neolithic Age.

Shelters and Communities As people began to farm, they built permanent shelters and

formed communities. Towns and villages grew up near farms.

Jobs and Trade Living in communities allowed people to improve how they lived and

worked. They created new jobs and traded for the resources they needed.

Enrichment Essay – Neolithic Societies around the WorldYou’ve learned about the shift from hunting and gathering to farming. This change in

people’s way of life had enormous consequences. In fact, it is often called the Neolithic

Revolution.

Your study of this dramatic change focused on the earliest Neolithic settlements in western

Asia. But over time, humans made the shift to farming in many other places as well.

Let’s take a closer look at where and why the Neolithic Revolution happened. To

understand this story, we need to take a step back and look at what came before the shift to

farming.

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Pre-Neolithic SocietiesBetween about 100,000 and 35,000 B.C.E., early humans spread from Africa to Europe,

Asia, and Australia. Humans first migrated to the Americas from Asia as long ago as 25,000

B.C.E.

Like their hominid ancestors, these early humans were hunter-gatherers. They used their

intelligence and tool making ability to adapt to many kinds of environments. For example,

those who lived near lakes and rivers learned to fish. In central Africa, people used barbed

bone points to catch large catfish as much as 80,000 years ago. Near oceans and seas,

people learned to collect shellfish and hunt sea mammals and seabirds.

Elsewhere, bands of hunters worked together to stalk and kill large animals. Different

groups became skilled in hunting the kinds of animals that lived in their area. In parts of

Western Europe, people specialized in hunting reindeer. Farther east, they hunted

horses. In central Asia, hunters killed mammoths (a kind of hairy elephant). In the plains of

North America, they hunted giant bison, mammoths, and mastodons (a hairy, elephant-like

creature).

Humans adapted in other ways as well. They made animal skins into clothing. They

fashioned tools and art from bones, ivory, and antlers. In the Ukraine, in Eastern Europe,

one team of scholars found an entire village made of mammoth bones.

Adapting to a Change in ClimateModern humans first appeared during the last great ice age. During ice ages, temperatures

are cold, and glaciers cover much of the Earth. The most recent ice age reached its peak

about 20,000 years ago. Vast sheets of ice covered much of Europe, Asia, and North

America. Hunter-gatherers adapted to the cold by using fire for warmth, making clothing of

animal skins, and taking shelter in caves.

By 8000 B.C.E., the cold period had come to an end. Earth began getting warmer. Glaciers

melted and retreated north. This change called for new adaptations.

The new conditions were less friendly to large ice-age mammals like the

mastodons. Hunting had already reduced their numbers. Now many of them became

extinct. Some animals that were adapted to the cold, such as reindeer and elk, moved

north. Familiar plants also disappeared, while other kinds of animal and plant life became

more abundant. Forests spread over much of Europe and Asia.

Humans adapted to these changes in two main ways. Most learned to collect and hunt more

kinds of plants and animals. This was especially true in forested areas and in places such

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as Eastern Europe and North America, where large animals still roamed. Others made a

much bigger adaptation. Gradually, they learned to collect the seeds of useful plants and

replant them. They began domesticating (taming) wild animals. This was the beginning of

farming—the biggest change in humans’ way of life in all of history.

Neolithic SocietiesPeople didn’t learn to farm all at once. They started raising plants from seeds while

continuing to hunt and gather much of their food. Gradually, some groups learned to rely on

farming for most of their food. This shift marks the beginning of the Neolithic Revolution.

As you have learned, the shift to farming happened first in western Asia around 8000 B.C.E

For the first time, people could settle down in one place instead of wandering about in

search of plants and animals to eat.

Over the next few thousand years, Neolithic societies appeared in other parts of the

world. By about 5000 B.C.E., there were farming communities in parts of Europe, Asia, and

Africa. Several major centers of Neolithic culture were located in fertile river valleys. Among

them were the valleys of the Nile River (Egypt), the Indus (India), and the Huang He and

Chang Jiang rivers (China).

Some groups in the Americas also discovered farming. People grew squash in Mexico as

early as 8000 B.C.E., though settled villages came much later. By 2500 B.C.E., there were

thriving Neolithic settlements in Central America and in Peru.

Adapting to Local ConditionsLike hunter-gatherers, early farmers had to adapt to local conditions. They grew the plants

and domesticated the animals that thrived in their areas.

Early farmers in western Asia grew wheat and other cereal grains, and domesticated wild

goats and sheep. In eastern Asia, farmers grew millet and rice and raised a type of chicken.

In Mexico, people grew plants that were native to the Americas, such as squash and maize

(corn). In Central America, people grew cotton along with food crops like corns, beans, and

squash. They used cotton to make fishing nets as well as cloth. People in the high

mountains of Peru grew potatoes and domesticated llamas.

Farmers had to adapt in other ways as well. In Egypt, farmers relied on the regular flooding

of the Nile River to water their lands. In other places, farmers learned to store water and

build irrigation systems. People in different areas built shelters out of local materials, such

as mud brick, stone, and timber.

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Over time, great civilizations grew up around the early centers of Neolithic culture. Farming

villages grew into cities, states, and empires. A new chapter in the human story had begun

—one that continues to this day.

__________________________________________________

Enrichment ActivityPart 1: Pre-Neolithic SocietiesUsing the first two sections of the essay, answer these questions:

1. On what continents were human communities located by 25,000 B.C.E.?

2. List two examples of how these hunter-gatherers adapted to their environment.

3. What environmental changes had happened by about 8000 B.C.E.? 

4. In what two main ways did people adapt to these new conditions?

Part 2: Neolithic SocietiesUsing the last two sections of the essay, create an annotated map. Follow these steps:

1. Ask your teacher for an outline map of the world. 

2. Pick any three of the following regions where human communities were located: western

Asia, eastern Asia, Egypt, Mexico, Central America, Peru. 

3. For each region you select, draw a visual on the appropriate area of the map that

represents an adaptation people made to their local environment.

4. Next to each visual, write a short caption that identifies the region and the adaptation.

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