Before History Chapter 1 The Hominids Australopithecus Hominid

Before History Chapter 1

The Hominids Australopithecus • • • Hominid Walked upright Opposable thumbs Communicate verbally Traveled deliberately Tools (choppers, scrapers) Homo Erectus • “upright walking human” • Sophisticated tools • Created fires • Fires used for: cooking, Defense, heat • Communicate complex ideas Migrations of Homo Erectus • Increase control over Environment • Migrated to N. Africa And Eurasian lands • Moved to W, E, SE &S Asia

Homo Sapiens Language • Evolved traits • Vocal chords • Mouth cavity w/ Tongue Migrations of Home Sapiens The Peopling Of the World The Natural Environment • Adaptable • Africa, Europe And Asia • Ice bridges Populated other areas • No other animal Or plant has made it To all habitable parts Of the world • Homo sapiens Used their intelligence, Sophisticated tools, And language to Exploit the natural World efficiently

Paleolithic Society

Economy & Society of Hunting and Gathering Peoples Relative Social Equality • Hunting and Gathering prevents Private property • Influence started By: age, strength, Courage, intelligence, Fertility, force of personality Relative Gender Equality • All members Contributed to Survival • Women & Children gathered • Men hunted • Interdependence Discourage dominance • Lived in small Bands (30 -50 mem) • Systemic & efficient Exploitation of environ ment Big Game Hunting • Special tools • Disguises • Fires • Disturbances To cause a stampede Paleolithic Settlements • Natufians Mediterranean Wild wheat & animals • Jomon Japan Buckwheat&fishing • Chinook NW N. America wild Berries, acorns, salmon

Discussion Question 1 &2 Why was life in Paleolithic Society so Egalitarian? Why is society today not reflective of Paleolithic society in terms of social status?

Paleolithic Culture Neanderthal Peoples • Named after Neander Valley In W. Germany • Some same Region as Homo Sapiens • Little inter Breeding • Deliberate Burials & rituals • Significance of Life a death The Creativity of Homo Sapiens • Achievement Through Communication Ability Venus Figurines • Roman goddess Of love • Exaggerated sexual Features • Generation of new life Cave Paintings • Lascaux in France • Reasons: Successful Hunting Expeditions, Sympathetic Magic • Minerals, Plants, blood, Saliva, water, Animal fat

Discussion Question 3 &4 What does fertility do? Why was fertility so important during the Paleolithic Age (think beyond simple human reproduction)?

THE NEOLITHIC ERA AND THE TRANSITION TO AGRICULTURE

The Origins of Agriculture Neolithic Era • Aka “new stone Age” • Early stages Of agriculture • Use of stone tools Global Climate Change & Gender Relations in Agriculture • 15000 years ago Many fluctuations In temp and rain • After ice age Earth get warmer, More rain, stable Climate • Neolithic people Took advantage by Growing plants & Domestication • Women: nurtured Plants and collected Men: hunted & domesticated Independent Inventions in Agriculture • 1 st signs of Agriculture in Different areas: 9000 bce-SW Asia • 9000 -7000 bce. SE African in Sahara • 8000 -6000 bce. SW Africa • 6500 bce-E. Asia • 4000 bce-Meso. America • 3000 bce-S. America Early Spread of Agriculture • Agriculture Spread fast due To methods • Slash and Burn cultivation • Method helped To spread cultivation • Foods in one Area only were Spread to others (ex. Wheat • Agriculture Was physically demanding

Early Agricultural Society Emergence of Villages & Towns And Spec. of Labor Pottery and Metalworking • Settled near fields In villages • Jericho-earliest Known village • Many people, surplus of food Meant new jobs • Catal Huyuk. Neolithic town Suggesting spec. of Labor • Ex. Clay pots, Baskets, metal tools, textiles • Store surplus foods • Dry or liquid Products • Artistic expression & practical utensil • Copper-earliest metal Humans used • Jewelry & simple tools • Smelted copper made Other tools (ex. Knives Axes, hoes) • Metallurgical foundation Textile Production • Selective Breeding led to Better fibers • Woman’s job While caring For the children Social Distinctions & Social Inequality • 1 st time people Can accumulate Wealth • Barter system • Development Of private Property • land=wealth= Power • Social classes emerged

Discussion Question 5&6 How did agriculture change the world? How did agriculture effect social status?

Neolithic Culture Religious Values • Dependence on Agriculture led to knowledge Of the moon and stars • Agricultural people learned the seasons through The position of the sun, moon and stars • 1 st steps toward a calendar • Neolithic religion reflected it reliance on the earth • Celebrated ideas of birth, growth, death & regeneration • Ex. Butterflies and frogs

The Origins of Urban Life Emergence of Cities • Development of Cities was gradual • Differed from villages and towns in 2 ways: 1) more complex (spec. of labor, more population, more professionals, professional managers [governors , tax collectors, military strategist], priests) 2) influenced political , economic and cultural life of larger regions (attracted buyers and sellers of different regions), extended claims of authority, were able to spread their culture and traditions

Discussion Questions 7 -9 How are the religious values of the Paleolithic and Neolithic societies similar? Reflect on both Paleolithic and Neolithic society. In your opinion, which society is better and why? Is social evolution always a good thing? Why or why not?