T H E S T O N E AG E S A N D E A R LY C U LT U R E S

CHAPTER 2

THE FIRST PEOPLE

• Humans on earth over 1 million years• Writing has only existed about 5000 years• Time before writing is called prehistory. Bones discovered by Mary Leakey in East Africa in 1959 that were 1.5 million years old.• Lucy: Discovered by Donald Johanson. Over 3

million years old.• She is an example of a hominid: an early

ancestor of humans• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsvRi59--IQ

PREHISTORY CONTINUED

• 1994 Tom White found hominid remains that could be as old as 4.4 million years, but that time is disputed by some scientists.• 1.5 million years ago a new hominid. Homo

erectus. Upright man. They could control fire.• 200,000 years ago. Homo sapiens. Wise man.

THE STONE AGE

• The Stone Age was a long period the first humans lived in. It is divided into three parts based on the types of tools they used.• Part One: The Paleolithic Era, or Old Stone Age.• It lasted until about 10,000 years ago.• Tools were primarily sharpened stones. The

oldest were found in modern day Tanzania.• Eventually formed spears and tools with handles.

PALEOLITHIC ERA CONTINUED

• Hunted deer, bison, and mammoths.• Formed societies. Developed languages, culture,

religion, and art.• They were less nomadic• Hunter-gatherers• Example: The Ice Man page 35

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q544IYnKos

EARLY HUMAN MIGRATION

• Climate changed during Old Stone Age• 1.6 million years ago ice age began. (a long

period of freezing)• This ice age ended about 10,000 years ago• Sheets of ice covered the earth• Caused ocean levels to lower• One theory is this is when the land bridge

between Asia and North America formed• Migration took thousands of years• See map Page 37

MIGRATION CONTINUED

• By 9,000 BC all continents were inhabited except Antarctica• Man adapted: Learned to• A. Sew skins for clothes• B. Move to caves. No caves? Build shelters such

as pit houses. Pits dug and covered with branches, limbs, etc.

MESOLITHIC ERA

• Also called The Middle Stone Age• Man discovered new uses for bone and stone

tools• Made hooks, bows and arrows, canoes, pottery,

and possible domesticated animals as pets.

THE NEOLITHIC ERA

• The New Stone Age• More advanced tools such as saws and drills• Learned to make fire as opposed to capturing it

after lightning strikes• Biggest change: Producing food. Occurred first in

Southwest Asia. Farming or agriculture.• Domestication. Plants and animals• No more nomadic lifestyle. Permanent

settlements• More religion. Built Megaliths.