Transcript Use of Fire

STANDARD WHI.2a
The student will demonstrate knowledge of early development of humankind from the Paleolithic Era to the agricultural revolution by
a) explaining the impact of geographic environment on hunter-gatherer societies.
b) listing characteristics of hunter-gatherer societies, including their use of tools and fire.
A first-hand, or eyewitness, account of an event
More accurate than a secondary source.
Ex: Artifacts, human remains, written records from the time.
A second-hand source of information
Not as accurate as a primary source
Ex: Textbook, hearing information from others than an eyewitness.
Prehistory is the time before written records were kept.
Because these people didn’t write down their history we have
to do our best to figure out what happened.
Anthropologists &
Archaeologists
1
Anthropology is the study of the origins and development
of people and their societies.
Archaeology is a specialized branch of anthropology.
– They study past people and cultures
Archaeologists study artifacts, objects made by human
beings.
– By looking at artifacts they can see how people
developed technology, the skills and tools people
use to meet their basic needs.
The study of past societies through an
analysis of what people have left behind.
Artifacts are those things that people left behind, they can include:
Tools and Weapons
Jewelry
Art and Sculpture
Human Remains
Pottery
Ancient Buildings
and Monuments
The study of human life and culture
The remains of ancient plants and animals.
By studying fossils archaeologists and anthropologists can learn about what
people ate, what animals they had around, and their way of life.
Carbon dating can be used to date organic artifacts, or things that were once alive
All living things contain a radioactive isotope of Carbon called Carbon 14 which they
absorb from the sun while they are alive.
Carbon 14 has a half-life of 5000 years. That means it takes 5,000 years for half of
the Carbon 14 in something to break down.
If we know how much Carbon 14 something has left we can count back to how much is
had to begin with to determine the age of the artifact. Is limited to things 50,000
years old or less.
Thermo luminescence Dating: Measures the light given off by the electrons
in soil surrounding artifacts. Can measure up to 200,000 years.
1. 4,000,000 BCE – 1,000,000 BCE
Paleolithic Age:
( Old Stone Age )
2. 1,500,000 BCE -- 250,000 BCE
2,500,000 BCE
to 8,000 BCE
3. 250,000 BCE – 30,000 BCE
4. 30,000 BCE -- 10,000 BCE
4,000,000 BCE – 1,000,000 BCE

Hominids --> any member
of the family of two-legged
primates that includes all
humans.

Australopithecines

An Apposable
Thumb
 HOMO HABILIS
( “Man of Skills” )

found in East Africa.

created stone tools.
1,6000,000 BCE – 30,000 BCE
 HOMO ERECTUS
( “Upright Human Being” )

BIPEDALISM

Larger and more varied
tools --> primitive technology

First hominid to migrate and
leave Africa for Europe and
Asia.

First to use fire ( 500,000 BCE )
200,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE
HOMO SAPIENS
( “Wise Human Being” )
Neanderthals
Cro-Magnons
( 200,000 BCE – 30,000 BCE )
( 40,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE )
1st group to Bury their dead!
Excellent hunters!
NEANDERTHALS
Early Hut/Tent
Human Beings
By 10,000 B.C. Homo Sapiens Sapiens could be found throughout the world due to migration.
During the last
ice age
between
100,000 B.C.
and 8000 B.C.
the water level
in the oceans
dropped
revealing a
land bridge
connecting Asia
and North
America
CRO-MAGNONs:

Homo sapiens sapiens
( “Wise, wise human” )
 By 30,000 BCE they
replaced Neanderthals.
WHY???
Are we all Africans “under the skin”????
70,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE
“Paleo” means old “Lithic” means stone
Paleolithic= Old Stone Age. This era was called the stone age because
early man used stone to make his tools and weapons.
Paleolithic man lived in groups called clans.
These clans got their food by Hunting and Gathering
Once the food supply ran out they would move to a different area.
Because they moved from place to place they were Nomadic.
Essential Knowledge
Were Nomadic: Wandered from place to place in search of food and shelter
Invented the first tools and weapons including simple stone tools.
Lived in groups called clans of about 20-30 people, used caves for shelter.
Learned to make and control fire to keep warm and cook their food.
Developed oral, or spoken language
Made cave art and statues.
The role of men was to do the hunting
The role of women was gathering and caring for children
Gathering was a more reliable source of food and so in
Paleolithic society it is thought that it may have been
Matriarchal, or female dominated.
Women were often seen at the time as symbols of life and
fertility. Many ancient religions were centered around the
worship of the earth and the woman was often representative
of the earth and life because of the fact that women gave
birth.
It is thought that early man often drew, or made representations of what
he/she wanted to happen. Fertility statues for having many children,
paintings of successful hunts etc.
Pre-Historic Man in the Paleolithic Age
(Different than ancient man)
Neanderthal People
Cro-Magnon People
(may have been absorbed by
Cro-Magnon)
When they lived
200,000 B.C.- 30,000
B.C.?
Physical
characteristics
powerfully built heavy jaws, thick eyebrow
ridges, large noses
looked more like modern people;
high foreheads, well defined
chins, small eyebrow ridges
Where they
lived
Europe, the Middle East, Asia, lived in
caves
southern France and Spain;
lived in caves
Tools they
used
more efficient tools than preceding groups used
more advanced tools than
Neanderthal
greater use of the animals he had
hunted.
The skins were used tomake clothes,
antlers to make tool handles,needles
And hooks and he gradually began to
farm the land and then to breed
animals (from 5000 BC).
Important
Accomplishments
wore clothes; cared for the sick; buried the
dead with tools; probably the first to cook
food
fire to develop new techniques for fashioning bifacial
tools, arrowheads and scrapers, implements that were
essential for the survival of his tribe.
30,000 B.C.10,000 B.C.
invented the spear; better
hunters,
could draw and paint,
Use of Fire
Early man learned to use fire to adapt to his environment.
It was probably discovered from friction, lightning, or accidental hitting
two rocks together.
Ice Ages
Fire was very important during the ice ages. Without fire man would not
have been able to survive.
Cave Art
Man has created art for a very long time. There is some argument as to
what this art was for. Was it art as art, or art as a form of religion?
STANDARD WHI.2a
The student will demonstrate knowledge of early development of humankind from the Paleolithic Era to the agricultural revolution by
c) describing technological and social advancements that gave rise to stable communities.
“Neo” means new
“Lithic” means stone
Neolithic means new stone age.
The Neolithic Agricultural Revolution was the change from the Paleolithic period to the
Neolithic Period.
The thing that allowed for this change was the discovery of
It is thought that women discovered agriculture.
agriculture.
Systematic Agriculture was the consistent growing of crops on a continuing basis.
Domestication of Animals: In addition to growing crops Neolithic man also tamed
animals for hunting (dogs) and other animals for their food such as sheep, cows, etc. . .
Developed Agriculture
Domesticated Animals
Used Advanced Stone Tools
Developed Weaving (better clothing)
Made Pottery (for food storage)
Regional discoveries of cultural representations
during Paleolithic and early Neolithic Eras
10,000 bce – 1000 CE
1000 CE – 2000 CE
Variations on Agriculture
As agriculture spread different areas began to grow different crops that
were suited to their environment.
From Subsistence to Surplus Farming
These places where people began to settle down, grow crops, and start
villages became known as the Cradles of Civilization.
Most of these areas were in river valleys. This first was Mesopotamia
between the Tigris and Euphrates River Valleys.
Other river valleys include The Nile in Egypt, the Indus in India, and the
Huang He in China.
These villages spread throughout Europe and the rest of the world.
The oldest and largest of the villages are found in SW Asia.
Found in ancient Palestine near the Dead sea.
It was in existence by 8000 B.C.
Found in Anatolia (Modern Day Turkey)
Its walls enclosed 32 acres and up to 6,000 people.
Grew many different crops and developed artisans and trade.
Çatal Hüyük
Development of
Writing
• Out of economic need to keep records
• Impacts social hierarchy (those who can write
and those who can’t)
• For historians the issue is from whose
perspective do we receive the written history
• Develops in similar pattern but final style is
different as are other cultural representations
Monument begun in the Neolithic age and finished in the Bronze Age
Located on the Salisbury Plain in England
What it may have looked like at completion
As villages turned into cities, men took over the work of farming.
Now men were the primary providers of food and women no longer filled that
role.
Because of this the role of women changed to that of family caregiver and
society became mostly male dominated (patriarchal) in most cultures
Copper
The first metal used by ancient
man was copper. This was a
natural metal
And could be cast into tools.
Bronze Age
Later, copper was mixed with tin
to make Bronze. Bronze was the
metal of choice for a long time.
Agricultural Surplus
As farming technology improved people were able to grow the food they
needed. Because of this not everyone had to work on providing food
anymore and so people could do other things.
Artisans
People who made crafts such as textiles (fabrics), pottery, jewelry, etc. . .
People could do what they were good at instead of having to farm.
Specialization of Labor
Because people could focus on one particular thing technology and skills
improved.
Storage of Food
Pottery and other devices were invented as ways to grow extra food. This
extra food was vital for feeding a growing population.
Trade
As artisans made goods they began to exchange goods with other villages,
and later cities, who had different goods. This was a barter system.
An agricultural surplus led to the emergence
of civilization
Rise of cities
Growth of
Government.
Artistic Activity
Temples, Pyramids,
Palaces, Painting, and
Sculpture
Use of Writing
First was
Cuneiform in
Sumer
Culture
The way of life of a
group of people
Usually monarchs
New Social
Structure
Different social
classes emerge
Emergence of
Religion
Priests take an
active role.