Chapter 1The World’s Early People

Lesson 1 The Distant Past

Vocabulary (define) • Prehistory – The period of time before people began to write

• Archaeology – The of study of artifacts left behind by people

• Artifact – Objects made by humans (art, clothing, pottery, tools, weapons, etc.)

• Fossil – Remains of living animals

• Theory – Accepted explanations

• Hominid – Humans and species with human like characteristics

• Paleolithic Era – Old Stone Age

• Migrate – Move from one place to another

What is known about early humans through archaeological studies? • Archaeology – the study of ancient artifacts

• Artifact – objects made by people

• Fossils – remains of people (bones)

• Artifacts – pots, clothing, weapons, tools, plant remains, shelters and art

• Artifacts and fossils help us learn how early humans LIVED. How they grew-up, survived, made food, and what they learned.

Describe the achievements of scientists who have studied the past. • Scientists try to achieve the exploration of new artifacts and fossils.

Also, they try to figure out what life was like in the past.

Why do you think early humans lived near rivers and streams? • Early humans lived near rivers and streams because then they could

get food, fresh water, swimming, and transportation.

How did movement and diet help make australopithecines in grasslands different from those in forest? • Walking on two legs allowed early humans to see further and develop tools. The grasslands offered more food and edible plants.

Chart of Hominids

Australopithecines – earliest hominids; lived on open grasslands; bipedal (walked upright)

Homo Habilis - bipedal ; omnivores ; “handy person” – toolmaker ; lived in Africa

Homo Erectrus – migrated outside of Africa ; fire ; bipedal ; larger brains to make better tools and speech

Lesson 2 Early Modern Humans

What abilities gave homo sapiens an advantage over other animals?

Why are living in groups important? •

What are three ways homo sapiens used animals to survive?

Define Hunter / Gathers Why do you think most humans changed this behavior?

Theories of Migration • 1.

•

Video: Decoding Neanderthals • http://video.pbs.org/video/2323758207/

Lesson 3 Hunters and Gatherers of the World

Create a brochure describing Hunters and Gathers of the World • See Rubric