Slide 1

The Earliest Human Societies to 2500 BCE HI 101 Origins of Civilization Fall 2014

Slide 2

Study Questions: How did humans evolve and where did they migrate? What were the key features of Paleolithic Society? How did the Agricultural Revolution develop and how did it effect human society? How did growing social hierarchies increase the complexity of humans society in the Neolithic Period?

Slide 3

Prehistory Human history before the invention of writing & the keeping of written records (about or circa (ca.) 3,500 BCE) Lasted over 10 million years! Hominids: immediate ancestors of Humans appeared ca. 10 million plus years ago in Africa Hominidsspecies family that contains Humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans

Slide 4

Prehistory Four Key Elements: 1.Ancestors of Humans appeared in Africa 2.Homo Sapiens (our species of Hominids or Modern Humans) appeared ca. 200.000 BCE 3.Homo Sapiens migrated out of Africa 4.Humans began to invent cultureor modify the environment to fit their needs & transmit culture to future generations

Slide 5

Culture: ways of living built up by a group and passed on from one generation to another, including behavior, material things, ideas, institutions, and religion. The combination of speech and material invention was necessary for the development of human culture.

Slide 6

PreEvolution and Migration Early Hominids: Australopithecus (Lucy) Homo habilis Homo erectus Homo sapiens

Slide 7

AFRICA: Modern Human Beginnings Australopithecus Oldest bipedal hominid found 3.2 Million Years Old Walked upright Carried & used toolsled to larger brains Evolved into Homo Habilis

Slide 8

Lucy, Hadar, Ethiopia

Slide 9

Homo Habilis (Handy man) Lived 2.5 million years ago Made and used sharpened stone tools Increased intelligence Evolved into Homo Erectus

Slide 10

Homo Erectus (upright human) 2 million years ago Improved tool- making skills Better hunting Increased vocal ability, mobility migrated out of east Africa to Eurasia

Slide 11

Homo Sapiens (Thinking Humans) Emerged in East Africa Larger brains Better language ability Migrated across Africa to Eurasia Interbred with and replaced Homo Erectuscolonized the globe

Slide 12

Why are Big Brains Important? Language=social organization Better for attracting a mate & passing big brains onto later generations Make better weaponsfish hooks, harpoons, snares, traps Get more food! Bigger brains need more energy and require more food

Slide 13

Human Migration & Differentiation Pre-Historic Man Migrated throughout the world by raft or crossing land formations Racial Differentiation

Slide 14

Slide 15

Racial Differentiation If we all started in Africa, then why do we look so different? Migrating groups became isolated & mated within the same group Environment and breeding led to differences in skin and hair color, eye and body shape Created different cultural practices The term race and racial categories were developed in the 1700s in Europe HUMANS ARE ALL MEMBERS OF THE SAME SPECIES!

Slide 16

Prehistory There are 2 important time periods in Pre-history 1.Paleolithic: 250,000-9,000 BCE 2.Neolithic: ca. 9000 BCE

Slide 17

Paleolithic Society 250,000-9,000 BCE Humans completely dependent on their environment Foraged for foodmostly plants, fish, seafood, small animals Hunted some large game with spears and bows Art & Culture: Evidence suggest body ornamentation, ceremonial burials, paintings, decorations, musical instruments, & expressions of self-identity Spirituality: Careful burials suggest belief in afterlife Animism: everything around them had a spirit

Slide 18

Slide 19

Slide 20

Slide 21

Neanderthal burials

Slide 22

Neolithic Era, ca. 9000 BCE Development of AgricultureHumans became independent of nature Agricultural Revolution : Began in Fertile Crescent of Mesopotamia Planting of seeds Domestication of animals Increased human population More settled lifestylepermanent housing, food storage Specialized labortool makers, Pot makers, home builders, etc.

Slide 23

Slide 24

Slide 25

Slide 26

Social Hierarchy & Slavery Stored food Valuable Source of conflict Required more complex rulesled to formation of power structures People with power became elites in society who controlled resources Needed force to maintain power Eventually bought the labor of others or other people Allowed for rise of Priestly classresponsible for rituals to ensure good harvest

Slide 27

Development of Trade Networks Settled societies began to trade goods with one another