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Prehistory Neolitic Revolution Traits of Civilization. Early Humans. Prehistory-3500 BC Prehistory: Before written records. Understanding Prehistory. Archaeology : the study of past societies through an analysis of what people have left behind.
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PrehistoryNeolitic RevolutionTraits of Civilization Early Humans
Understanding Prehistory • Archaeology: the study of past societies through an analysis of what people have left behind
artifacts: tools, pottery, paintings, weapons, buildings, and other items of early people
Anthropologist: studies culture – uses artifacts and fossils to determine how people lived their lives • Culture: Unique way of life of a people
Stage 1- Hominid: • the earliest human-like creatures that walked upright
Stage 2 – Homo Erectus: “upright human being” • More & larger tools • Learned to use fire • First to leave Africa & move into Europe & Asia
Stage 3 – Homo Sapiens: “wise human being” • Neanderthals – first found in Neander Valley in Germany -first people to bury their dead • Homo Sapiens Sapiens – first humans who looked like us
The Paleolithic Age • Old Stone Age • Used simple stone tools
Lifestyle • Nomads – moved from place to place following the animal migration & vegetation cycles
Major advances • Mastery of fire • Art – cave drawings The polychrome painting above, of a "cow and a horse," is a paleolithic cave painting from the caves at Lascaux, in the Dordogne region of France. -- 15,000 BCE
NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION: The shift from hunting of animals and gathering of food to the keeping of animals and the growing of food on a regular basis that occurred around 8000 B.C.
Consequences of the Neolithic Revolution: • Organized communities • Trading of goods • Systematic agriculture • Population explosion
Civilization:a complex culture in which large numbers of people share a number of common elements
6 Characteristics of Civilization 1. Cities 2. Government 3. Religion 4. Social Structure 5. Writing 6. Art
1. The Rise of Cities • First developed in river valleys where people could carry on large-scale farming to feed large populations
2. Government • Growing population, need to maintain food supply, and build walls for defense led to organization of the government • Organize & regulate human activity • monarchs
3. Religion • Developed to explain the workings of nature and the fact of their own existence • Priests – power by divine authority & led rituals to gain the favor of the gods
4. Social Structure Upper Class--priests, government officials, and warriors • Middle Class farmers, artisans, and craftspeople Slaves
5. Writing • Scribes kept records • Records developed into literature
6. Art • Temples built for worship & burial • Paintings & Sculptures – developed to portray gods & goddesses or natural forces