The Paleolithic Era

1. The Paleolithic Era (From around 2.5 million years ago to about 10K B.C.E.)

2. Paleolithic migration patterns

5. Members of one of the world’s last uncontacted tribes

6. The Neolithic Revolution (Began around 10K B.C.E.)

8. Origins of Agriculture • Neolithic-”New Stone Age” (10K-2K BCE) • End of Ice Age meant new sources of food were required • Had a dramatic impact on the natural environment

9. Emerged in different parts of the world at different times (first M.E., later Africa, Americas) • Crops like wheat, rice, sorghum, etc. spread throughout Eurasia • Crops like maize spread from Mesoamerica to N+S America

10. The “evolution” of maize

11. Early Agricultural Society Year Human Population 3000BCE 14 million 2000BCE 27 million 1000BCE 50 million 500BCE 100 million

12. Agriculture led to permanent settlements (Jericho, Catal Huyuk) • Specialized labor developed (pottery, metallurgy, textiles) • Control of property and land by a few led to the growth of a social elite (patriarchy)

14. Nomadic pastoralism