ARCHEOLOGY

Archeology is the study of the ancient ~ objects of the past. Archeologist study the remains of ancient human societies and cultures such as buildings, artwork, tools, pottery, etc. Archeologists use aerial photography to decide where to begin their excavations. They hope to uncover artifacts, ruins, and other archeological evidence. Archeologists then take their findings and try to analyze and date their findings. Archeologists hope that the artifacts found may give clues as to how ancient peoples built, traded, lived, and worshipped.

ARCHEOLOGICAL SPECIALISTS

Archeologist – studies the past

Botanist – studies plants

Chemists – study substances and date things

Geologist – studies rocks and the earth

Linguist – studies languages and writing

Paleoanthropologist – studies skeletal remains

TIMELINESTimelines record major events and display when the events happened. You need to remember the following things when using timelines.

Timelines present a chronological record that displays events from left to right. Events on the left of a timeline happened before the events on the right on a timeline.

Timelines use two time periods. BCE (Before the Common Era) goes on the left of the timeline and makes up all of the years before the year of Christ’s birth. CE (Common Era) goes on the right of the timeline and refers to all of the years from the year of Christ’s birth to the present day. CE and BCE are sometimes referred to as AD and BC, respectively. BCE and CE are the modern system. Only BCE (BC) years have anything written after them, BCE (BC).

Timelines are always divided into equal parts or time periods. Some are divided into 10 year periods (Decades), others into 100 year periods (Centuries), and some into 1000 year periods (Millenniums), etc.

Specific dates of many events in history are either inexact or unknown. To show events that appear on a timeline that we do not know the exact date for, the Latin word CIRCA is used. Circa means “about” and is abbreviated “c” which is written before the event’s date.

READING A TIMELINE

2000 BCE

2000

4000 years

40

4

TIMELINES CROSSWORD

DecadeThousandChristEventsCircaRight

Add Century Down Common Era BCE Eras AD Date Equally

DATING METHODS

PRE-HISTORY

History before writing.

TYPES OF SOURCES

Written Sources – books, letters, diaries, written speeches/songs/poems

records, calendars, maps, etc.

Non-Written Sources – fossils, jewelry, tools, coins, toys, cities, oral traditions

Primary Source – something produced during the same time period as the event

Secondary Source – materials created after the event which are based on the original (primary) source

The 5 questions asked to evaluate any source

1) What kind of source is it?

2) Who made the source?

3) Where was the source produced/made?

4) When was the source made?

5) Why was the source made?

Surplus and Scarcity

Hunters and Gatherers

Hunter-Gatherer :

a person who gets food by hunting animals and gathering wild plants, nuts, roots, and berries.

HOMO HEIDELBERGENSIS

Homo Heidelbergensis

• first to use fire

• lived and traveled in groups of 20-30

• made very simple tools

• traveled and moved around a lot

Neanderthals

Neanderthals

• lived in groups of 20-50 people

• cared for others in their community

• had burials and believed in an afterlife

• traveled some

Cro-Magnon

Cro-Magnon

• looked like us

• more advanced tools –

fishing nets, bows and arrows, spear throwers

• created artwork –

cave paintings and small sculptures

• traveled very little

MIGRATION OF EARLY PEOPLE

PALEOLITHIC LIFE TO NEOLITHIC LIFE

FOOD SUPPLY

PALEOLITHIC NEOLITHIC EFFECTS ONDAILY LIFE

hunting animals and gathering plants

agriculture:growing plants and raising animals

• people didn’t have to move • people could settle in one area• agriculture increased the reliable food supply

OCCUPATIONS

PALEOLITHIC NEOLITHIC EFFECTS ONDAILY LIFE

finding food farming, cloth/clothes makers,builders, tool makers, miners

• many more activities to be involved in• people were developing special skills/abilities

RESOURCESPALEOLITHIC NEOLITHIC EFFECTS ON

DAILY LIFE

only used things around them

used things around them and traded with others

• grew in resources and technology (tools and ideas)• brought people together from many different areas• improved living conditions

SHELTERPALEOLITHIC NEOLITHIC EFFECTS ON

DAILY LIFE

temporary tent or rock shelters

permanent long lasting mud brick homes

• more comfortable and stable lifestyle• homes had added features, such as, rooms, ovens, basins, etc.

POPULATION/SETTLEMENTPALEOLITHIC NEOLITHIC EFFECTS ON

DAILY LIFE

temporary settlements for 20-60 people

permanent settlements for thousands

• population grew• people could share responsibilities• improved food and living conditions• burial grounds

TECHNOLOGY

PALEOLITHIC NEOLITHIC EFFECTS ONDAILY LIFE

crude stone tools, rough animal skin clothing, grass baskets

Sharp stone and metal tools, clothing of wool, cotton, and silk, used pottery and made jewelry

• began to use metals - - copper and gold - - and clay• quality and comfort of life improved

MESOPOTAMIA

1) What does Mesopotamia mean?

2) What two rivers are found in Mesopotamia?

3) Northern Mesopotamia (the land north and west of the city of Hit) is a which is

Southern Mesopotamia (the land south and east of the city of Hit) is a which is a

4) What is another name for southern Mesopotamia?

5) Describe what Sumer and the Sumerians were like.

SUMER SUMERIANS

6) What methods did the ancient Sumerians use to adapt to southern Mesopotamia?

7) Use your textbook to list the five modern day countries Mesopotamia was located in?

the land between the rivers

Tigris and Euphratesplateau

an elevated area of flat land

plainbroad area of flat, open land

Sumer

to control flooding they developed lakes and ponds

to moisten the dry land they created an irrigation system of dams, gates, and canals

Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, Turkey, and Iran

*harsh environment *summers were very hot with little rain *spring and fall it flooded

*farmers, city dwellers, traders, artists, builders, priests *had writing system *had city-states *changed their environment to live there