The Stone Ages and Early Cultures

1. The Stone Ages and Early Cultures Mr. Perkins Fall 2015

2. Glossary Terms • prehistory • hominid • ancestor • tool • Paleolithic Era • society • hunter-gatherers

3. Prehistory • The time before written history • Written history has only lasted about 5,000 years • Historians rely on archaeological evidence (artifacts & fossils) to recreate this time in history • Study early ancestors of humans, or hominids

4. Hominids • Relatives of modern day humans who lived in the past • Bones found in Tanzania in 1959 = 1.5 million years old • Bones found in 1974 in Ethiopia = 3 million years ago • Bones found in 1994 in Ethiopia = 4.4 million years ago

5. Early Hominids Australopithecus 4-5 million years ago Homo sapiens 200,000 years ago Homo erectus 2-1.5 million years ago Homo habilis 2.4 million years ago

6. Early Hominids • Australopithecus • “southern ape” • stood upright and walked on two legs • brain was ⅓ the size of modern humans • Homo habilis • “handy man” • used early stone tools for chopping and scraping • brain was ½ the size of modern humans • Homo erectus • “upright man” • used early stone tools like a hand axe • controlled fire • migrated out of Africa to Asia and Europe • Homo sapiens • “wise man” • migrated around the world • we are this species! • learned to create fire and use many types of tools • developed languages

7. Stone Age • Broken into three different eras • Paleolithic = “Old Stone” • Mesolithic = “Middle Stone” • Neolithic = “New Stone“

9. Paleolithic Era • First part of the Stone Age • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9AJUo6busg • Lasted until 10,000 years ago • People used basic stone tools • Oldest tools found in Tanzania (2.6 million years old) • Tools used to cut food • Used for about 2 million years • Later tools include axe and spear

11. Hunter-Gatherers • More complex tools = hunting larger animals = hunting parties or societies, a community of people that share a common culture • People traveled around for food, water, & shelter (nomads) • Stone Age humans survived as hunter-gatherers (people who killed animals and gathered wild fruit to eat)

12. Hunter-Gatherers • Hunters were men • Chased large animals off cliffs • Gatherers were women • Stayed near homes close to kids • Societies were different from one another • nomadic/sedentary • agrarian/pastoral • patriarchal/matriarchal • monogamous/polygamous

13. Language, Art, & Religion • Language • most important Stone Age development • people could work together • Art • carvings • cave paintings • Religion • buried dead with food/items (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT8f5t7uH0E) • first examples of religion

14. Waiting on the World To Change • Climate change around the world • People move to new places • Ice Ages • 1.6 million years ago • Frozen ice around the world (http://www.creswell-crags.org.uk/) • Ended 10,000 years ago • Land bridge (Asia to North America) • Migration • http://www.flickclip.com/flicks/iceage4.html • Humans followed animals • 9,000 B.C. = humans live everywhere except Antarctica

15. Adaptation • People on one continent were different from others • Ate different food • Lived in different climate • Fire • Kept people warm • Animal skins as clothes • Shelters • Pit houses • Tents made from animal skin

16. Mesolithic Era • 10,000 to 5,000 years ago • More complex tools • Made from bone and stone • Hooks and fishing spears • Bow and arrow • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67r2Q_rWYGo • Other tools • Canoes • Pottery • Pets

17. Bellringer– 9/1/15 • How did humans find food during the Paleolithic/Mesolithic? • What effect did the Ice Ages have on human? How did it change their lives?

18. Lesson 3 Terms • Neolithic Era • Domestication • Agriculture • Megaliths

19. What They Left Behind • As people migrated, they dropped seeds on the ground. • These plants began to grow in places they weren’t native to.

20. Neolithic Era • Began about 10,000 years ago • Began in Southwest Asia • Started to spread across the world afterward • Lasted in other countries longer • New tools started to be created

21. Tools and Pottery • http://www.slideshare.net/emilyvalenza/neolithic-pinch-pots Stone beads used for jewelry Oldest mask in the world – 7,000 B.C.

22. Biggest Changes • End of Ice Age brought new plants • Wild barley & wheat in Southwest Asia • People settled where new plants grew • People carried seeds and animals around • Domesticated crops & animals, or changed to benefit humans • Domestication of plants is known as agriculture

23. Plants & Animals • Plants • Shift from food gathering to food producing = Neolithic Revolution • First occurred in Southwest Asia • Animals • Less hunting • Farmers raised their own animals • Cattle, sheep, goats • Animals also used for milk, food, wool, and farming

24. Less Work = More Play • People used less time hunting or searching for fruit • Parents could spend more time with children • Games began to be created • People stayed in one area • Population began to grow larger • More time for religion • Built megaliths, or giant religious monuments • Elements, animals, and ancestors

25. https://www.youtube.com/watch/?v=MYbDJF_gMtw

27. Effects of the Neolithic Revolution • People ate the same amount • But grew more food • Which means they had too much food • Overproducing food caused: • Erosion • Flooding • Overpopulation