Unit 1: Prehistory to Early Civilizations

1. Unit 1: Prehistory to Early Civilizations Ms. Willia

2. Primary and secondary sources • Primary sources • sources created at about the same time as the event being studied, often by people involved in the event. • Examples of primary sources include • artifacts uncovered by archeologists • art works • government records • diaries • letters • speeches • newspaper articles

3. Primary and secondary sources • Secondary sources • Sources created after the event by people not involved in the event. • Examples of secondary sources include • history books • Textbooks • Encyclopedias

4. The Calendar • B.C. (before Christ) = • B.C.E. (before the common era) • A.D. (anno domini) = • C.E. (common era) • AD actually stands for the Latin phrase "anno domini" which means "in the year of our Lord." The B.C. / A.D. dating system is not taught in the Bible. It actually was not fully implemented and accepted until several centuries after Jesus' death

5. Prehistory • Prehistory: Time before written history, roughly 5,000 years ago • For thousands of years people have recorded information about their beliefs, activities, and important events using varying forms of written language • Without written records, scientists face many challenges • No written history to study • Important: The story is not complete • Evolution vs. Creationism

6. Scientific Clues • Archaeologists • Study the past • Items they find helps them figure out the past • Modern technology has helped them a lot • carbon-14 dating • ground sensors • space/satellite images

7. Scientific Clues • Scientists work like detectives uses excavated sites • Artifacts: human-made objects such as tool and jewelry are examined and studied • Anthropologists study culture or a people’s unique way of life • Paleontologists study fossils or evidence of early life preserved in rocks • From these clues anthropologists attempt to recreate a picture of early human’s cultural behavior

8. Human Origins • Scientists do not all agree about the story of human beginnings • One generally accepted theory is that hominids were the first humans, dating back 4.4 million years • These hominids are known as Australopithecus

9. Human Origins • Mary Leaky • Archeologist who led an expedition in Tanzania in East Africa • 1978 they discovered Laetoli Footprints made by australopithecines • Humans and other creatures that walk upright are called hominids

10. Human Origins • Australopithecus • spent their lives in the humid forests of eastern and southern Africa. • They ate fruit, leaves, and nuts. • They were probably nomads, never staying in one place for long

11. Human Origins Homo is a Latin word used by scientists which means “human”. They use this word to name later humans as well.

12. Homo Habilis • Lived during first quarter of Paleolithic period. • Oldest hominids known to create tools • Lived in Africa from about 2.5 to 1.5 million years ago • Lived alongside the Australopithecus

13. Homo Erectus • Lived during last part of Paleolithic period. There is much more information about this group of early humans • First appeared in Africa & lived from 1.6 million to about 250,00 years ago. • Learned to make fire • Made clothing for themselves

14. Homo Sapiens • Evidence of early Homo sapiens goes back as far as 200,000 years ago. • Neanderthals - most likely the first Homo sapiens

15. Neanderthals • Early homo sapiens • Lived about 70,000 BC • They knew how to hunt, use stone and wood tools, and lives mostly in caves, and maybe even played some music. • No one really know why they disappeared, but maybe during an ice age

16. Neanderthals • Neanderthals stood about 5.5 feet tall, their brains were slightly larger than modern humans, and their bodies were stocky • Used fire for warmth and cooking • Skillfully constructed stone knives, spear points, and bone tools • Crafted hide-cleaning and food-preparing tools

17. Neanderthals • How did they live? • Most lived in small groups of 35 to 50 people • Were nomads, therefore did not live in one place permanently • Lived in caves or overhangs from cliffs • Wore heavy clothing made from animal skins to stay warm and protected

18. Neanderthals • Their culture and beliefs: • Neanderthals cared for their sick and elderly • May have been the first people to practice medicine • Believed in life after death • Practiced burial rituals

19. Homo Sapiens Sapiens • Lived in Africa some 50,000 years ago • More advanced than Homo sapiens • Within 20,000 years ago, this modern group had migrated to almost every continent of the world • As these people moved out of Africa, they intermarried with Neanderthals • Called Cro-Magnons

20. The Cro-Magnons • May have competed with Neanderthals for food. • Good toolmakers, hunters, and fishermen • Superior language skills • By 8000 BC were very much like modern humans. • Well known for their art

21. The Cro-Magnons • Earliest Homo sapiens sapiens • Their remains were first found in France around 1860 • Cro-Magnons were taller and less stocky than Neanderthals • Improved technology development • More sophisticated culture

22. The Cro-Magnons: Technology • Cutting blades were thinner and sharper • Created fishing devices and needles for sewing • Invented the stone ax in order to cut down trees and make canoes • Invented the spear-thrower and the bow and arrow • By 15,000 B.C. human population stood at about 2 million

23. The Cro-Magnons: Social Life • Lived in bands, with many different bands spread throughout • Bands had to work together to hunt • Rules were developed for people to get along and for work to get done • Leaders were named and placed in charge of enforcing rules • First political organizations formed

24. The Ice Ages • Changes in climate played an important role in the development of early humankind. • Earth experienced four long periods of cold climate between 2 million and 10,000 years ago, known as Ice Ages. • The level of the oceans dropped more than 300 ft. as the sheets of ice formed.

25. The Ice Ages • How did early humans react to the environmental changes of the Ice Ages? • Some people simply moved to warmer places (usually the middle latitudes where it was warm enough to live) • Some found strategies for keeping warm by using clothes and fire. • Those who could not adapt died from starvation and exposure to the extremes.

26. Stone Age • The invention of tools, mastery over fire and development of language are believed to have occurred during the Stone Age which has 3 parts: • Paleolithic Age • Mesolithic Age • Neolithic Age • People learned to polish stone tools, make pottery, grow crops and raise animals in New Stone Age

27. Stone Age • Paleolithic Age • Very crude tools • Stones used to throw at animals • Old Stone Age roughly 2.5 million B.C. to 8000 B.C.

28. Stone Age • Mesolithic Age • 10,000 to 5,500 years ago • Not only use stones • Bows and arrows • Fish hooks • Harpoons

29. Stone Age • Neolithic Age • Development of Agriculture • Domestication of animals/plants for food