Early Humans Early Humans History the study of

Early Humans

Early Humans • History: the study of humans in the past – Tells what they did and what happened to them • Historians – People who study and write about the human past – They tell us that history began about 5, 500 years ago

Prehistory • The story of humans really begins in “prehistory” – before people developed writing systems

Tools of Discovery • What we know of prehistoric people comes from the things they left behind • These things are called artifacts (weapons, tools, and other things made by humans)

Tools of Discovery • Archaeologists dig these things up where settlements may have once existed

Tools of Discovery • Anthropologists focus on the study of human society – How people developed and how they related to one another http: //www. history. com/shows/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us/videos/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us-the-earliest-humans

The Stone Age • The early period of human history is called the Stone Age • It is divided into two periods – The Paleolithic Age (“old stone”); lasted until about 8000 BC – The Neolithic Age (“new stone”); lasted until about 4000 BC

What the Stone Age is NOT

What the Stone Age Actually Looked Like

Who were the Hunter Gatherers? • Early humans spent most time searching for food – They hunted animals, ate insects, and gathered various fruits and vegetables • Because of this lifestyle, these people were always on the move (nomads)

Who were the Hunter Gatherers? • Nomads traveled in groups of about 30 – made the search for food easier and safer • Women stayed close to the camp – searched for berries, nuts, and grains

Who were the Hunter Gatherers? • Men hunted – had to learn the habits of animals, and make tools for the kill • at first they used things like clubs, • eventually spears, traps, and the bow and arrow were invented

Adapting to the Environment • those who lived in warm climates needed little clothing or shelter • those who lived in the cold sought shelter in caves – eventually new kinds of shelter was invented (tents made of animal hides)

Taming Fire • Paleolithic people made a great discovery when they learned to tame fire – It lit up the dark, scared away wild animals, and cooked their food

What were the Ice Ages? • Long periods of extreme cold (from 100, 000 BC – 8, 000 BC) • Thick ice sheets covered parts of Europe – Was a threat to human life

What were the Ice Ages? • Humans had to adapt by changing their diet, building sturdier shelters, and using animal furs to make warmer clothes

Language, Art, and Religion • The development of spoken language made it easier for people to work together and pass on knowledge

Language, Art, and Religion • Early humans not only expressed themselves in words, but in art – Crushed colored rocks to make powders for paint • Dabbed it on cave walls

Invention of Tools • Paleolithic people were the first to use technology – Tools and methods to help humans perform tasks • They often used flint (a hard stone) to make tools – arrows, axes, spears, etc.

Invention of Tools

Invention of Tools • People became more skilled at making tools over time • They crafted smaller and sharper tools like fishhooks and needles

Neolithic Times • After the last Ice Age ended, people began to change their way of life • They began to domesticate (tame) animals and plants for human use

Neolithic Times • During this time people learned how to grow food – Now people could stay in one place and grow grains and vegetables • Farming eventually replaced hunting and gathering – Marked the beginning of the Neolithic Age

The Growth of Villages • Farmers could now stay in one place – Had to stay close to their field to water the plants, keep wild animals away, and harvest their crops • They began to live in villages where they built their permanent homes

The Growth of Villages • The earliest known communities have been found in the Middle East – One of the oldest is Jericho – Another is Catal Hüyük

Benefits of a Settled Life • Settled life brought Neolithic people greater security than ever before • Steady food supply meant healthy, growing populations – Meant more workers to produce bigger crop

Benefits of a Settled Life • Because villagers produced more than they needed, they began to trade • People began to practice specialization – Development of different kinds of jobs (other than farming)

The Use of Metals • In some places toolmakers began to work with metals like copper • Eventually craftspeople in Asia began mixing copper with bronze – More durable