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The “Stone Age” Named the “Stone Age”
because most tools during this period were made of stone Later ages will be bronze and iron
Two major divisions Paleolithic: Old Stone Age Neolithic: New Stone Age
Food Gathering and Stone Technology Foraging: Hunting and
gathering to survive Most nutrition came
from fruits, berries, seeds, and roots
Food Gathering and Stone Technology
Hunting was done by men and gathering was done by women and children
Food Gathering and Stone Technology Hunting and gathering
were seen as equally important
Men and women were considered to be equals
Food Gathering and Stone Technology
Foraging humans lived in groups of between 20 and 50 people Large enough to provide protection from other
groups but small enough not to exhaust all food resources in a given area
Food Gathering and Stone Technology
In “game-rich” areas such as the African grasslands, groups only spent three to five hours a day securing food, clothing, and shelter
There was a lot of time in the day for artistic endeavors, tool making, and social life
Food Gathering and Stone Technology
The foundations of science, art, and religion date back to this time period Edible/medicinal plants, animal behavior, etc. Cave paintings usually displayed hunting scenes Formal burials indicate a belief in the afterlife
The Agricultural Revolutions Agricultural Revolutions: The change from
food gathering to food production that occurred between 8000 B.C.E. and 2000 B.C.E. This is often called the “Neolithic Revolution” in
some cases but that term is not as accurate
The Agricultural Revolutions The transition from food gathering to food
production took place over hundreds of generations
Forager groups returned to the same seasonal camps each year, leaving seeds and removing weeds to encourage the growth of edible crops
The Agricultural Revolutions Different crops were grown across the
globe including rice in China, wheat in Greece, and maize in Mexico
The Agricultural Revolutions As agriculture replaced gathering, pastoralism
(mostly) replaced hunting Pastoralism: The branch of agriculture
concerned with the raising of livestock Examples included sheep, goats, pigs, chickens,
horses, cows, and llamas
The Agricultural Revolutions Why did this revolution occur?
Warming of the earth led to a decrease in the population of animals that could be hunted
The Agricultural Revolutions Humans went from being nomadic (always
on the move, trying to find food) to sedentary (staying in one place to ensure the success of their crops)
The Agricultural Revolutions This sedentary lifestyle led to the spread of
disease, as settlements were contaminated by human and animal waste as well as insects
People had never lived and died so closely together before
Life in Neolithic Communities
Early farmers worked harder and for longer periods of time than hunter/gathering peoples
Life in Neolithic Communities However, they were able to create a food
surplus that hunting/gathering groups could not create This surplus allowed them so save crops for the
winter or a drought
Life in Neolithic Communities As human being settled into an agricultural
lifestyle, the importance of kinship and marriage grew exponentially
Life in Neolithic Communities People began to trace back their lineage for
generations and became part of an individual “family” This was in contrast to the hunting/gathering
clans that were essentially large families themselves, though not always related by blood
Life in Neolithic Communities
Religions in agricultural communities centered around “Mother Earth”, a deity believed to be the source of life
Life in Neolithic Communities Additionally, other gods represented
elements such as fire, wind, and rain
Life in Neolithic Communities In this new age land was the most valuable
asset and those who had more would be more powerful than those who had less This system of land-based wealth would last for
thousands of years
Life in Neolithic Communities After the Agricultural Revolution, men and
women were no longer considered equals Men worked in the fields and women were
expected to maintain the household and raise the children
As women became confined to the household, they lost their ability to speak out and make an impact as governments/religions began to form
Life in Neolithic Communities With a stable food supply, civilizations were
able to develop and populations grew Civilization: A group of people sharing similar
cultural traits in large societies containing multiple cities and organized governments
Life in Neolithic Communities Specialization of Labor:
The ability for other professions to exist due to the efficiency of food production
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