Download Prehistory

Warm Up:
Why do we study history?
Answer on the provided
Post-It and attach to the
board.
Artifact Stations:
Study each artifact carefully.
On the chart provided, note
its special features and
possible functions or use.
How does this artifact help
us learn about the past?
What occupations study the types
of artifacts we’re using today?
Look back at your artifact. How
would an archaeologist view this
artifact?
How would an anthropologist view
this artifact?
Peopling the Earth
Time Periods
•Prehistory - before writing
•B.C. & A.D. – developed by a
monk around A.D. 532
•B.C. – “Before Christ”
•A.D. – “Anno Domini”
The Stone Ages
•Paleolithic - Old Stone Age:
2,500,000 B.C. to 8,000 B.C.
•Neolithic – New Stone Age:
8,000 to 4,000 B.C.
Paleolithic Age
• The Ice Ages – 100,000 to 8,000 B.C.
• Humans were able to adapt
environment through use of fire
• Land bridges made possible the spread
of humans
Beringia
Paleolithic Age
• Made tools
• Used lava rocks to cut meat & crack bones
• Used spears to hunt & fish with
• Hunting men and gathering women
• NOMADIC – moving from place to place
Human Migration
Paleolithic Age
• Humans found shelter in caves
• Cave paintings left behind
Neolithic Age
• The Neolithic Revolution – dawn of
systematic agriculture
• Animals – dogs, goats, oxen, cattle,
pigs, chickens, sheep
• Crops – grains, bananas, yams, rice,
wheat, barley
• Rise of villages – Jericho & Catal
Huyuk (8,000 B.C.)
Çatal Hüyük
Neolithic Age
• Technological advances
o Agricultural – sickle, pottery, plow,
fertilizer
o Loom – for weaving flax & cotton
o Artisans made jewelry & weapons
The Agricultural Revolution
• Farming developed independently in
different parts of the world
• Most likely due to climate changes
• Slash & Burn – cut trees and burn to
clear a field
Middle East
8,000 BC
India
Central America
7,000 BC
6,500 BC
China
6,000 BC
Southeast Asia
5,000 BC

Africa: The Nile River Valley  wheat, barley
China: Huang He (Yellow River) Valley  grain
(millet), and rice


Mexico & Central America  corn, beans, squash

Peru  tomatoes, sweet potatoes, white potatoes

8,000 B.C.  Largest Early Settlement at Çatal Hüyük
( Modern Turkey )  6,000 inhabitants

12 cultivated crops

Division of labor

Engaged in trade

Organized religion

Small military
An obsidian dagger
Advanced
Advanced
Cities
Technology
Specialized
Record-
Workers
Keeping
Complex
Institutions
Civilizations
1. ADVANCED CITIES
 CENTER OF TRADE – VARIETY OF GOODS
2. SPECIALIZED WORKERS
 SKILLS IN A SPECIFIC KIND OF WORK
3. COMPLEX INSTITUIONS
 GOVERNMENT, RELIGION, ECONOMY
4. RECORD KEEPING
 TAX, LAWS, STORAGE OF GRAIN,
CALENDAR OF RITUALS
5. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
 PLOWS, IRRIGATION, BRONZE AGE FOR
WEAPONS
• Civilizations developed in river
valleys because they provided:
– Resources (water, fertile soil)
– Transportation to support trade
– Sustainable food supply
• Mesopotamia (Sumeria) – Tigris &
Euphrates Rivers
• Egypt – Nile River
• India – Indus River
• China – Yangtze (Yellow) River
Mesopotamia
• “land between the rivers”, lies in the
Fertile Crescent region of Southwest
Asia (Modern-day southern Iraq)
• Inhabitants: Sumerians, Akkadians,
Babylonians
Group Work Directions
• Create a thinking map that explains how
ancient Sumer exemplified your
assigned civilization characteristic.
• Present your findings to the class.
• Jobs:
– Recorder (1) – Write legibly!
– Researchers (3) – Use your text!
– Timekeeper (1) – In addition to another job
– Presenters (2) – Speak slowly and audibly!

Banks of the Euphrates River (Sumer)
 Population 30,000
 3000 B.C.
 Well defined social classes
 Barter system
 Ziggurat (Temple) is center of city life
Ziggurat at Ur
 Temple
 “Mountain of
the Gods”
Resources
• Susan Pojer: Horace Greely HS – NY
• Darrell Wells: Mt. Pleasants HS – NC
• Patrick Helm: Hickory Ridge HS – NC