Chapter 2 The Stone Ages and Early Cultures

Chapter 2: The Stone Ages and Early Cultures Section 1: “The First People”

Main Ideas *Scientists study the remains of early humans to learn about prehistory. *Hominids and early humans first appeared in East Africa millions of years ago. *Stone Age tools grew more complex as time passed. *Hunter-gatherer societies developed language, art, and religion.

Key Terms and People *prehistory *Paleolithic Era *hominid *hunters-gatherers *ancestor *society *tool ***academic vocabulary: distribute

Prehistoric people … • learned to adapt to their environment • made simple tools • used fire • used language

Stop and Think If you were there…. You live 200, 000 years ago, in a time known as the Stone Age. A local toolmaker has offered to teach you his skill. You watch carefully as he strikes two black rocks together. A small piece flakes off. You try to copy him, but the rock just breaks. Finally, you learn to strike the rock just right. You have made a sharp stone knife! How will you use your new tool?

Scientists Study Remains • Historians call the time before writing prehistory • Mary Leakey found bones in East Africa that were 1. 5 million years old • These bones belonged to hominids, or early ancestors of humans • An ancestor is a relative who lived in the past • Donald Johanson also found bones; he named these bones “Lucy”

“Lucy” Finding the Skeleton, Lucy

Four Major Groups of Hominids and Early Humans • Australopithecus “southern ape” 5 million years ago • Homo habilis: “handy man” 2. 4 million years ago • Homo erectus: “upright man” 2 - 1. 5 million years ago • Homo sapiens: “wise man” 200, 000 years ago

Stone Age Tools The first part of the Stone Age is called the Paleolithic Era. The First Tools • • • First found in Tanzania (East Africa) Size of an adult’s fist 2. 6 million years old Stone struck with another rock to make a sharp edge Used mostly for processing food

Stone Age Tools The first part of the Stone Age is called the Paleolithic Era. Later Tools • Hand ax and spear • Used to break tree limbs, dig, and to cut animal hides • Could hunt larger animals: deer, horses, bison, mammoths

Hunter-Gatherers • • Hunted animals and gathered plants Made tools: What kind of tools were made? Used fire: What did they use fire for? Created art: What kind of art did they create?

Hunter-Gatherers Society • They formed a society to help one another survive • Men: made tools and did the hunting • Women: gathered plants and cared for children

Hunter-Gatherers Language, Art, and Religion • Language was the most important development in the Stone Age • Communicated through cave paintings • Possible religious beliefs because graves were discovered

What do you know? Refer to the chart on pages 30 and 31 1. When do many scientists believe the first modern humans appeared? 2. What characteristic did Homo erectus have that modern humans also have? 3. Which early hominid had a brain about half the size of modern humans? 4. Which early hominid migrated around the world?

Evaluate Think about the advances made by prehistoric humans. Using a graphic organizer, like the one below, rank the three advances you think are most important. Then write a sentence explaining why you ranked the advances in that order. 1 2 3