Pre History History What is history the record

Pre History

History �What is "history? " � the record of events � a branch of knowledge that records and explains past events �Requisite human presence (or natural history) �Then, what is "Prehistory? " � ______________________

Pre history �Pre History �The period of time before written records

�Without written records, how do we know what happened? �archaeological discoveries �remains of hominids, �art, �migratory patterns, �discovered settlements, etc.

Hominids �Earliest humanlike creatures �Lived in southern and eastern Africa about 3 -4 million years ago �Lived during the Paleolithic Era � The Paleolithic Era refers to the time before people developed stationary civilizations and settled down to live in one place.

Hominids: Australopithecines �Or “southern ape-men” �Were the first to make simple stone tools �Were bipedal (walked on 2 feet) � Allowed hands to be free to grasp objects � Allowed for looking over tall African savannah grasslands

Hominids: Lucy �"Lucy, " Australopithecine fossil, found in 1974 by Donald Johanson �Three major differences from earlier primates: � bipedalism � a sizable brain (enables abstract thought and fine motor control) � a larynx (allows for complex speech)

Hominids: homo habilis �Or “handy human” �Brain 50% larger than Australopithecines �More sophisticated in gathering of food

Hominids: Homo erectus �Or “upright human” �Developed 1. 8 million years ago �Used larger and more varied tools �First hominid to leave Africa and move into Europe and Asia

Hominids: Homo sapiens �Occurred around 250, 000 years ago �Homo sapiens also known as “wise human” �There were two types of Homo sapiens that emerged *Neanderthal *Homo sapiens

Neanderthal �Remains found in the Neander Valley in Germany, Europe, and the Middle East �Remains dated between 100, 000 and 30, 000 BCE �Relied on stone tools �Buried their dead (some scientist believe that this means they believed in the afterlife) �Made clothes from the skins of the animals they killed for food

Homo sapiens �First anatomically modern humans �Named “wise, wise human” �Appeared in Africa between 200, 000 and 150, 000 years ago �Began to spread out of Africa about 100, 000 years ago �By 30, 000 BCE, they had largely replaced the mostlyextinct Neanderthals �By 10, 000 BCE, Homo sapiens could be found throughout the world

The Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age) �Prehistory to 8, 000 BCE �Tools made of stone, bone, wood, etc �Rise of Homo sapiens being successful hunters � Contributed to the extinction of mastodon/mammoth �Still hunter-gatherer societies � Spent 3 -5 hrs/day hunting/gathering � Fruits, berries, seeds, edible roots

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Fire � 1. 4 million yrs ago: deliberate fires � 500, 000 yrs ago: sustainment of hearths �Cooking “invented” through wildfires (probably) � Meat/veggies become easier to digest and better to the taste when cooked �Gave light for after dark hours �Provided heat in colder climates/seasons �Provided protection against animals �Helped in hunting � Scare animals into traps � Smoke out bees to get honey

Hunter-Gatherer Society � Community � Enough people to defend/protect the group � Enough people to hunt/gather and support the group � NOT so many as the food will not feed the entire group � Mobile (most) � Follow herds/seasonal plants � Lived under overhangs/caves � Sedentary (some) � Fishing villages that relied on the sea � Did not move according to weather � Created solid structures to live in � Gender Roles � Women: gathering, cooking, child care � Men: hunting, shelter � (patriarchy!!)