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Prehistory

Prehistory. Prehistory. Historians generally use documents or written records to recreate the past. Prehistory means the period before writing was developed. Archaeology. * The study of past societies based on an analysis of what people left behind-artifacts

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Prehistory

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  1. Prehistory

  2. Prehistory • Historians generally use documents or written records to recreate the past. • Prehistory means the period before writing was developed.

  3. Archaeology *The study of past societies based on an analysis of what people left behind-artifacts *Artifacts-tools, pottery, paintings, weapons, buildings

  4. Anthropology • The study of human lifeand culture • Use the remains of humans and other artifactsto create theories of pastlife and lifestyles

  5. Dating Artifacts and Fossils • These scientists develop theories based on: • Stratigraphy: idea that is based on the idea that older artifacts or remains will be found deeper than those found above them • Radiocarbon dating: used to estimate the age of living things based on the radioactive particles that are present

  6. Early Stages of Human Development

  7. Early Humans • First humanlike creatures lived 4 million years ago-australopithecines “southern ape” in Africa • Hominid-walked upright and made simple tools • They also were discovered to have an opposable thumb that allowed them to pick up and hold objects—tools which would be made primarily of stone. • Lucy—click to view video clip

  8. Homo habilis • A more advanced hominid with a larger brain. • “Man of Skill” • Developed 2.5 to 1.6 million years ago. • May have used stone tools (made of lava).

  9. Homo Erectus • “upright human being” • Used tools for specialized purposes • Dug for food, cut meat from animal bones, and scraped animal skins • First use of fire • May have had the first spoken language • Lived about 1.6 million years ago • Homo erectus—click to view video clip

  10. Homo Sapiens • By around 200,000 BC, these modern humans lived in Africa—they eventually migrated to Eurasia, Australia, and North America • “wise human being” • Neanderthals and Homo sapiens sapiens (“wise wise human being”) • It is unclear if these two competed with one another, but evidence supports the idea that they did live near each other.

  11. Homo sapiens Neanderthal Cro-Magnon “Homo sapiens sapiens” Truly modern humans “thinking thinking man” More environmentally adaptive • Lived in caves or built shelter of wood/animal remains • Found ways to survive the freezing temperatures of the Ice Age • First to bury the dead-would imply a belief in the afterlife • Disappeared around 30,000 BC

  12. Eras of Early Human Life • Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age) • Historians usually date this period from 2,500,000 to 8,000 BCE. • Early humans used stone tools and utilized hunting (men) and gathering (women) techniques to get their food. They were nomadic people (moved place to place). • Found shelter in caves or created shelters using wooden poles and animal hides. • Used fire to keep warm and to cook their food.

  13. Eras of Early Human Life • The hunter-gatherer lifestyle led early humans to develop a close relationship with the world around them. • As a result, early humans sought to depict the world they saw. Why might early humans have created cave paintings?

  14. Eras of Early Human Life • The Mesolithic Age (Middle Stone Age) • Depending on place, dates somewhere in 8000 BCE to 2700 BCE • Specialized stone tools such as the bow and arrow, fishhooks, harpoons, and canoes

  15. Eras of Early Human Life • The Neolithic Age (New Stone Age) • Dates from about 10,000 to 8,000 years ago • Polishedtools such as wedges, saws, drills, chisels, and needles • Period of systematic agriculture (growing food on a regular basis) and domestication (adapt for human use) of animals

  16. Agricultural Revolution • The shift from hunting animals and gathering food to using of animals and growing of food • Occurred at different times around the world • Humans had greater control over their world • Began to settle in communities *Possibly the most important development in human history

  17. Bronze Age • The end of the Neolithic Age comes with the use of metals • Dates from around 3000 BC to 1200 BC • Led to an increase in concentrations of people in river valleys and a rise of civilizations

  18. Civilization A complex culture in which large numbers of human beings share a number of common elements • Rise of Cities • Growth of Governments (maintain food surplus) • Organized Religion • Social Structure • Use of Writing • Artistic Activity

  19. Other Characteristics • Development of specific culture-way of life of a people • Rise of monarchs-king or queen who ruled a kingdom • Rise of artisans-skilled workers that made items such as weapons or jewelry

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