Chapter 1 Human Beginnings

Chapter 1 Human Beginnings Pre-History – 1000 B.C.

Honors World History Dublin High School Dr. Susan Thornton

Prehistory • The course begins with an overview of prehistoric conditions on earth until about 1,000 B.C. • We are talking about millions and millions of years in one unit, so obviously you need to focus on the absolute most important aspects of the prehistoric period. • These include the Ice Age, human origins, the evolution of human culture, human migrations, and the Stone Ages.

• Another important aspect of this unit is to help students understand how archeologists discover and learn about the prehistoric past!

Dating Early Artifacts • How have recent archaeological finds contributed to our understanding of human origins?

Prehistoric Finds in Africa • In 1992, Gen Suwa, a paleontologist from Japan discovers, in East Africa, one of the oldest hominid teeth ever found. • Over the next two years, additional remains were uncovered, like arm bones and parts of the skull and jaw that belonged to 17 people. • Just 45 miles away, In 1974, Donald C. Johanson and Tom Gray uncovered a 3.2 million-year-old skeleton they named Lucy.

Human Origins • Scientists do not all agree about the story of human beginnings. • One generally accepted theory is that hominids were the first humans, dating back 4.4 million years. • These hominids are known as Australopithecus or Australopithecines .

• Australopithecus spent their lives in the humid forests of eastern and southern Africa. • They ate fruit, leaves, and nuts. • They were probably nomads, never staying in one place for long

• The Latin word used by scientists which means “human” is “homo”. • They use this word to name later humans as well.

Scientists divide Homo into 3 categories of species: Homo habilus “person with ability”

 lived until about 1.5 million years ago

Homo erectus “person who walks upright”

 lived after the previous group of humans

Homo sapiens “person who thinks”

 lived 100,00 to about 200,000 years ago All people today belong to this species

The Ice Ages • Changes in climate played an important role in the development of early humankind. • Earth experienced four long periods of cold climate between 2 million and 10,000 years ago, known as Ice Ages. • The level of the oceans dropped more than 300 ft. as the sheets of ice formed.

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As a result, areas that were separated by water, became connected by a land bridge: 1) Japan was connected to mainland Korea 2) Great Britain & Ireland to western Europe 3) Malay Peninsula through the Indonesian islands almost all the way to Australia 4) Asia to North America at the Bering Strait.

How did early humans react to the environmental changes of the Ice Ages? In Different Ways: •

Some people simply moved to warmer places like the middle latitudes

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Some found strategies for keeping warm by using clothes and fire.

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Those who could not adapt died from starvation and exposure to the extremes.

Human Culture Culture is a person’s unique way of life This includes:     

Knowledge Language Types of food and dress Religious beliefs Art and music.

Early Technology • Toolmaking – the use of tools was one of the earliest aspects of culture that people formed.

• The Stone Age – name used to identify the period before writing became established. This name was used because of the use of stone tools by these early people

The Stone Age is divided into 3 shorter periods: Paleolithic or Old Stone Age (Earliest Period)

Began about 2 million years ago & until about 12,000 B.C. First toolmaking was by the Homo habilis

Usually dated from about 12,000 Mesolithic or B.C. to about 8,000 B.C. Middle Stone Age

Neolithic or New Stone Age

Lasted from about 8,000 B.C. to 5,000 B.C.

Paleolithic Hunter-Gatherers • Homo Habilis – lived during first quarter of Paleolithic period. – Oldest hominids known to create tools – Lived in Africa from about 2.5 to 1.5 million years ago – Lived alongside the Australopithecus

• Homo Erectus – Lived during last part of Paleolithic period. There is much more information about this group of early humans – First appeared in Africa & lived from 1.6 million to about 250,00 years ago. – Learned to make fire – Made clothing for themselves

• Migrations – Not enough is known about the migrating habits of Homo habilis people. – Scientists do know that Homo erectus people migrated from their Native Africa to Europe and Asia.

– Skeletal remains prove that they lived in China only 460,000 years ago and in Europe 400,000 years ago.

• Language – Instead of just making sounds and signals to show emotion and direction, Homo erectus may have been talking to each other about 500,000 years ago. – Language was one of humanity’s greatest accomplishments.

What benefits did language offer to humanity?  Made it possible for people to work together (organize duties, give directions)  Enabled people to exchange ideas about the world  Provided a way for people to socialize and entertain each other (storytelling)  Most important of all, it allowed people to pass history and culture on from one generation to another

Homo Sapiens • Evidence of early Homo sapiens goes back as far as 200,000 years ago. • Neanderthals - most likely the first Homo sapiens • Neanderthals stood about 5.5 feet tall, their brains were slightly larger than modern humans, and their bodies were stocky.

Technological skills of Neanderthals: • Used fire for warmth and cooking • Skillfully constructed stone knives, spear points, and bone tools • Crafted hide-cleaning and food-preparing tools

How did they live? • Most lived in small groups of 35 to 50 people • Were nomads, therefore did not live in one place permanently • Lived in caves or overhangs from cliffs • Wore heavy clothing made from animal skins to stay warm and protected

Their culture and beliefs: • Neanderthals cared for their sick and elderly • May have been the first people to practice medicine • Believed in life after death • Practiced burial rituals

Homo sapiens • Lived in Africa some 50,000 years ago • More advanced than Neanderthals • Within 20,000 years ago, this modern group had migrated to almost every continent of the world • As these people moved out of Africa, they intermarried with Neanderthals

The Cro-Magnons • Earliest Homo sapiens sapiens • Their remains were first found in France around 1860 • Cro-Magnons were taller and less stocky than Neanderthals • Improved technology development • More sophisticated culture (created art)

Technology of Cro-Magnons • Cutting blades were thinner and sharper • Created fishing devices and needles for sewing • Invented the stone ax in order to cut down trees and make canoes • Invented the spear-thrower and the bow and arrow • By 15,000 B.C. human population stood at about 2 million

Social Life of Cro-Magnons • Lived in bands, with many different bands spread throughout • Bands had to work together to hunt • Rules were developed for people to get along and for work to get done • Leaders were named and placed in charge of enforcing rules • First political organizations formed

Cave Paintings of Cro-Magnons • Were accomplished artists • No one knows for sure why they painted on cave walls – Maybe for educational reasons – May have been reaching out to spiritual world – Maybe to relieve boredom & monotony • *Clay sculptures have also been found as well as figures of ivory and bone

Neolithic Revolution • During the Neolithic period and immediately after, humanity made a giant leap in culture – Toward the end of the last Ice Age, forests and grasslands began to appear in many areas – In a period of 5,000 years, people gradually moved from hunting & gathering to producing food

• New agricultural methods came about • This led to massive changes in the way people lived!

That’s why we call this time in history the Neolithic Revolution.

• This revolution took place slowly • Took place at different times in different parts of the world • The crops that Neolithic people developed varied from place to place • Farming made life easier for people – Brought a steady food supply – Allowed them to live in one place longer

• Farming also allowed people to create villages and small societies • Crude houses were constructed with mud bricks • Several related families usually lived in one house

Technological Advances  Neolithic farmers invented the plow and trained oxen to pull it.  Neolithic villagers invented the loom and began to weave linen and wool  They learned how to make jewelry and better weapons  People created calendars to measure the seasons & determine when to plant crops

 People began caring about boundary lines and rules of inheritance because their food supply depended on land ownership.  As villages began competing for land and water, warfare was created.  Neolithic people believed in deities or gods and goddesses

Emergence of Civilization  Civilization – complex societies  Some villages evolved into cities  Cities sprang up at different times in different places  All cities evolved from farming settlements in river valleys

Early River Valley civilizations People’s labor was specialized with different men and women doing different jobs The civilizations depended on advanced technology Each civilization had some form of government to make and carry out rules and procedures

The Economy of a Civilization • First Irrigation systems – allowed farmers to produce a surplus of food • Specialization of labor – artisans became increasingly productive and creative • Long distance trade – farmers and artisans began trading outside of their communities and eventually covered longer distances

Living Together in Cities • Civilizations slowly grew more prosperous and more complex • Populations steadily grew also. Early cities had between 5,000 to 30,000 residents! • Of course, a population like this could not operate the same way that a village of 200 had operated.

Therefore, • A group of government officials was created to oversee the collection, storage, and distribution of farming surpluses. • These officials also organized and directed labor forces needed for large-scale construction projects. • Professional soldiers were hired to protect and guard the city’s territory and trade routes

• Army, government officials, and priests made up what is known as a ruling class. • This ruling class was usually led by a king (ultimate person in charge) • The first kings ever were probably elected, but over time they inherited their positions.

The Invention of Writing • Priests began using marks and pictures, called pictograms, to represent products. • Eventually they used the marks and pictures to represent abstract ideas and even later, to represent sounds. • Priests kept records of individual men and women who were head of households, landowners, and merchants.

• After a time, priests also recorded things like the king’s battle victories, legal codes, medical texts, and observations of the stars. • Priests also recorded myths (traditional stories explaining how the world was formed, how people came into being, and what they owed their creator

• Every civilization had and still has their own ideas about creation. • Because these ideas, beliefs, or myths vary from place to place, historians usually examine them for clues to a people’s customs and values.