Warm-upWednesday, September 12th

• What early tools might tell scientists about hunter-gatherer societies?

Austrolopithecus Afarensis: Lucy and her relatives

• Scientists use Latin names to group living things

• Lucy was given the name Australopithecus which means “southern ape” and afarensis refers to the Afar triangle, the part of Africa where Lucy was found

• Lucy was shorter than humans today- between 3 to 4 feet tall– Discovered by Donald Johanson– mix of ape and human features– had a large head- brain only 1/3 the size of

ours– Lived 3 to 4 million years ago– Biped, the capability to walk on two feet

Homo Habilis: Handy Man

• Discovered by Louis and Mary Leakey• Lived 1.5-2 million years ago• Combined ape and human features• Walked on two feet• Taller than Lucy • Brains were twice the size of Lucys• Remains only found in Africa• Lived in groups• Tools were found

– Animal bones as digging sticks and rocks as chopping tools

– Sharp pieces of stone for cutting

Homo Erectus: Upright Man• Discovered in 1891 by Eugene Dubois on the island of

Java, off the southern coast of Asia• At this time, Lucy and Handy Man had not yet been

discovered• Lived on Earth longer than any other hominid group

from 1.8 million to 200,000 BCE• Believed to be the first hominids to migrate out of

Africa because remains have been found in both Africa and Asia

• Taller and thinner than earlier hominids– Strong bones, good walkers and runners– Forehead was round and smooth but still had a large ridge

above the eyes, a thicker skull, and a jaw that stuck out– More complex tools

• Strong hand axes made of stone

– Used fire– Ate more meat– Built oval huts – Sat and slept on animal skins– Decorated their bodies with yellow-colored mud called

ocher– Moved from place to place

Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis: Neanderthal Man

• Discovered “Wise Man” in 1856 in Germany’s Neander Valley

• Modern humans belong to this group

• Lived from 230,000 to 30,000 years ago in Africa, Europe, and Asia

• Walked upright, shorter and stockier than modern humans but much stronger

• Large brains– More than 60 types of tools have

been found• Worked together

– Lived and traveled in groups– Hunted in an organized group– Sense of community

Homo Sapiens Sapiens: Doubly Wise Man

• First appeared 150,000 years ago• Originated in Africa• High, rounded skulls, large brains,

small teeth, and slender bones• Ability to create better tools, shelter,

and clothing• Left paintings on the walls of caves• Carved and shaped images out of

clay, bone, flint, and ivory• Created music instruments• Painted animals, mythical creatures

and used their handprints to sign their work

How Early Hunter-Gatherers Lived• Archaeologists know very little• Lives were often harsh• To survive and grow they developed

technology

The Development of Tools• Paleolithic Era (means “old” and “stone”)• Time when humans learned how to make tools

out of stones• Lasted from 2.5 million years ago to 10,000

years ago• At first, tools were simple: chopping down

small trees, cutting meat, scraping animal skins clean.

• Over time- tools became better: weapons, hunting larger animals

The Use of Fire• During Paleolithic era- fire was used:

light at night, cooking meat and plants, scare off dangerous animals

• Man is no longer restricted in his movement to a limited range of climates

Wandering Bands• The culture of early societies was

simple. • Lived in small groups or bands: 10-12

adults and their children• Nomads- move from place to place with

the seasons• Built temporary shelters- another major

advance• Men hunted, women gathered

Later Stone Age PeoplesNeanderthals

• Appeared in Europe and Asia 200,000 years ago

• Name comes from Neander Valley in Germany• Appeared in late Paleolithic Era and only group

to survive Stone Age• First people to bury their dead- believed in life

after death

Modern Humans• Appeared about 100,000 years ago and were

called “Homo sapiens” (wise people)• Similar to Neanderthals- made tools, used fire,

and hunted animals• Taller and less muscular and developed a

complex language• Language- organize hunt, warn of danger, pass

knowledge or skills on • No evidence of Neanderthals after about

28,000 years ago

• Homo Sapiens spread out to populate, or become inhabitants of, almost every land area of the world.

The Human Migration• Archaeologists disagree on where modern

humans came from or how they spread• Study fossils and genetic information

Two Theories about Migration• “Out of Africa” theory suggests that humans

migrated from Africa to new places, replacing those that already lived there.

• Another theory is that large-brained humans developed separately in many different parts of the world.

New Evidence• New evidence from a skull found in 2007

suggests that humans were already in their modern form when they migrated from Africa.

• A 2008 genetic study gives a boost to the “out of Africa” theory.

• Still, many questions about human migration remain unanswered.

• 30,000 years ago, Homo sapiens were living in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia

Quick Facts- DO NOT WRITE!!

• Reasons for migration include:– The land on which they live no longer provides enough

food for growing populations– They need to escape immediate weather problems, such as

flooding, or long-term climate problems, such as drought– As population grow, people may want more space or need

to escape overcrowding that causes disease or conflict– Conflicts over food, land, or power sometimes push people

to explore new lands– Many people have a strong drive to explore that drives

them toward new lands.

Adapting to Varied Environments• As human migrated they had to adapt to new

environments.A Changing Climate• During the past two million years- including the

Stone Age- the Earth has had four long ice ages.• The last great Ice Age began about 70,000 years

ago, soon after modern humans appeared.• Well-watered grasslands became deserts• Sea-level dropped- exposing land bridges• Many animals had to migrate to find food• People had to follow the herds for foodStaying Warm• Ice-Age hunter gathers learned to adapt

– Built huts out of mammoth bones and covered with animal skin

– Using bone needles, they sewed snug clothing from animal skins and furs

– Kept fires burning day and nighthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRRlEyplGQ8&feature=player_embedded

Forming Larger Communities• Some adapted to change by forming larger communities• Hunters could work together• Better defense against other nomadic groups• Clans formed (25-50 people)• Communities began to tradeDeveloping Complex Cultures: The Evidence of Art• Communities became more and more complexPaintings in Caves• Discovered Lascaux cave paintings in 1940• Some images were carved but most were painted• Made pigments by grinding up minerals of various colorsWhat Do They Tell Us?• Humans are capable of complex thoughts and actionsDeveloping Complex Cultures: Religious Beliefs and Practices• Religious beliefs and practices are a sign of a more complex culture

Burial Practices• Ice Age people buried their dead

– Children covered with ivory beads in Russian grave

Early Religious Practices• Cave paintings, statues, and burial sites

suggest how early humans reacted to mysterious and powerful sources.

• Suggest that they believed in animism- natural world is filled with spirits.

The Next Big Change• By the end of the Paleolithic Era,

humans…– Occupied many regions of the world– Developed a complex spoken language– Variety of tools and weapons– Adapted to different environments– Still lived in small groups as hunter-gatherers

• Around 10,000 years ago Neolithic Era began