Pre-History Chapter 1Pre-History Chapter 1

PREHISTORIC TIMESPREHISTORIC TIMES

• Between 4,000,000 Between 4,000,000 B.C. – 3500 B.C.B.C. – 3500 B.C.

• 11stst sign of hominids sign of hominids 3.6 million years ago3.6 million years ago

• Hominid: a creature Hominid: a creature that walks upright that walks upright rather than on all rather than on all foursfours

Why is Prehistory hard to Why is Prehistory hard to study?study?• Prehistory lacks written Prehistory lacks written

records such as letters, records such as letters, dairies, ledgers, and dairies, ledgers, and tabletstablets

• Writing wasn’t invented Writing wasn’t invented until 5,500 agountil 5,500 ago

• Homo Sapiens: Homo Sapiens: “Thinking Man” is up to “Thinking Man” is up to 300,000 years ago300,000 years ago

Who and What is studied in Who and What is studied in Prehistoric times?Prehistoric times?• ARCHEOLOGISTS, ARCHEOLOGISTS,

SOCIETY, CULTURESOCIETY, CULTURE• Society: network of Society: network of

people who interact people who interact with each otherwith each other

• Culture: the way of life Culture: the way of life that a group of people that a group of people develop and pass on develop and pass on to their childrento their children

• Archeologists: a Archeologists: a person who studies person who studies the remains of ancient the remains of ancient societies societies

Historians rely on the following Historians rely on the following kinds of informationkinds of information

• Artifacts- a human made object like a Artifacts- a human made object like a tool, weapon or ornament that tool, weapon or ornament that represents a stage of human represents a stage of human development development

• Fossils- a trace or fragment of Fossils- a trace or fragment of ancient plants and animalsancient plants and animals

Methods of dating fossils and artifacts:

•Radiocarbon dating

•Thermo-luminescence

•Microscopic and biological analysis

Dating MethodsDating Methods

• Relative DatingRelative Dating– Location and comparison of objectsLocation and comparison of objects

• Absolute DatesAbsolute Dates– Carbon 14 datingCarbon 14 dating– Layers of clayLayers of clay– Tree ring datingTree ring dating

Early Human Origins found in Early Human Origins found in Ethiopia “Lucy”Ethiopia “Lucy”

• Southern ApeSouthern Ape

• 3 million year old 3 million year old female classified as female classified as a Australopithecine a Australopithecine

• 3 to 5 feet3 to 5 feet

• Brain size was Brain size was about a third the about a third the size of modern size of modern humans humans

Homo Habilis “Skillful”Homo Habilis “Skillful”

• Between 2.5 million Between 2.5 million and 2 million years and 2 million years oldold

• Founded in eastern Founded in eastern AfricaAfrica

• 50% larger brain than 50% larger brain than Australopithecines Australopithecines

• Made stone tools Made stone tools mostly out of lava mostly out of lava rock rock

Homo Erectus “Upright Homo Erectus “Upright Man” Man” • 1.6 million years old1.6 million years old• Average male believed to be about 6 Average male believed to be about 6

feet tallfeet tall• Brain was ¾ the size of human brain Brain was ¾ the size of human brain

todaytoday• First hominid to leave the continent First hominid to leave the continent

or migrateor migrate• First hominid to use fire First hominid to use fire