Ch. 3, Sec. 2 Notes – The Stone Ages

The Old Stone Age• Also known as the

Paleolithic era• Lasted from 2.5 million

years ago to 12,000 years ago

• People from this era lived as hunter-gatherers, people who feed themselves by hunting animals and gathering fruits, roots, and vegetables

• Hunter-gatherers spent much less time finding food each week than we do working

Stone Age Technology• Technology = all of the

methods we use to solve practical problems, including tools and skills

• Earliest tools included

• Tools made of stone, bone, or antler

• Most tools created for survival (protection, shelter, hunting-gathering)

Blades• A tool that has a cutting

edge used to sever materials

• How they were made: countless hours of chipping away at rock to create a sharp, pointed edge

• Purpose: Used to cut items such as meat or animal skins

• Made out of: stone

Needles• A tool used to sew

separate materials together into a single unit

• How they were made: countless hours of chipping away at bone to create a sharp, point that can penetrate materials

• Purpose: Used to sew animal skins and other materials together to make shelter, clothing

• Made out of: bone, antler

Grass• Purpose: Cave floors

were often lined with grass to create a softer, more comfortable bed

Caves• A natural, underground

space large enough for a human to enter

• Humans found these by exploring rock formations, looking for shelter

• Purpose: Provides natural shelter from the elements and dangerous predators; also provides a base for hunting

Campfire• A controlled fire lit at a

campsite• Made by rubbing sticks or

stones together to create a spark which is used to light small pieces of dry wood (kindling)

• Purpose: Provide warmth, light, heat for cooking, a beacon to guide yourself, and many more reasons