Prehistory – Evolution of Man AP World History

Chapter 1a

Development of Hominids �  Animals adapt themselves to environment

�  Hominids adapt environment to themselves �  Use of tools

�  Language �  Complex cooperative social structures

Unit 1 and 2 events

Australopithecus �  “The southern ape” – Despite name a hominid

�  Discovery of skeleton AL-288-1, north of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia �  Nicknamed “Lucy”

�  40% of SWF, 3’5”, 55lb., bipedal, Brain 500 cc (modern human: 1400 cc), limited speech but opposable digit

�  Estimated date of death: 3.5 million years ago

Later Hominids �  Homo Erectus, “upright man”

�  Larger brain capacity (1000 cc), improved tool use, control of fire

�  Homo Sapiens, “consciously thinking human”

�  Largest brain, esp. frontal regions

�  Most sophisticated tools and social organization

�  Migrations of Homo Erectus and Homo Sapiens

Global spread of hominids and Homo sapiens

The Natural Environment �  By 13,000 BCE Homo sapiens in every inhabitable

part of the world

�  Archaeological finds: �  Sophisticated tools

�  Choppers, scrapers, axes, knives, bows, arrows

�  Cave and hut like dwellings

�  Use of fire, animal skins

�  Hunted several mammal species to extinction �  Climactic change may have accelerated process

Relative Social Equality �  Nomadic culture precludes accumulation of land-

based wealth �  More likely determinants of status: age, hunting skill,

fertility, personality �  Possible gender equality related to food production �  Men: protein from hunting

�  Women: plant gathering

Paleolithic Era (“Old Stone Age”)

�  Evidence: �  Archaeological finds

�  Extrapolation from modern hunter-gatherer societies

�  Nomadic existence precludes advanced civilization �  Groups of 30-50 �  Division of labor along gender lines

Big Game Hunting �  Evidence of intelligent coordination of hunting

expeditions �  Development of weaponry

�  Animal-skin disguises �  Stampeding tactics

�  Lighting of fires, etc. to drive game into kill zones

�  Requires planning, communication

Paleolithic Settlements �  Natufian society

�  Modern Israel and Jordan �  Wild wheat, herding

�  Jomon society �  Japan �  Wild buckwheat, fishing

�  Chinook society �  Pacific Northwest �  Berries, acorns, salmon runs

�  Groups of 1000 or more

Neandertal Peoples �  Neander valley, western Germany

�  Flourished in Europe & SW Asia, 200,000 – 35,000 years ago

�  Also found in Africa, east Asia

�  Evidence of spirituality: ritual burial

�  Inhabited some of the same areas as Homo sapiens

Creativity of Homo sapiens �  Constructed flexible languages for communication

of complex ideas

�  Increased variety of tools – stone blades, spear throwers, sewing needles, barbed harpoons

�  Fabricated ornamental beads, necklaces and bracelets

�  The bow and arrow – a dramatic improvement in humans power over nature

�  “Venus” figurines

�  Cave paintings

Neolithic Era (“New Stone Age”)

�  Corresponds with the end of the last Ice Age

�  Distinction in tool production �  Chipped vs. polished

�  Men: herding animals rather than hunting

�  Women: nurtured vegetation rather than foraging

�  Spread of Agriculture �  Slash-and-and burn techniques �  Exhaustion of soil promotes migration �  Transport of crops from one region to another

Origins and Early Spread of Agriculture

Agriculture and Population Growth

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100

3000BCE

2000BCE

1000BCE

500 BCE

Population (millions)

Forming the Complex Society

�  Basic development: �  Hunting and Foraging

�  Agriculture �  Complex Society

�  Key issue: surplus capital

�  Major development of first complex societies 3500 BCE – 500 BCE

Early Agricultural Society �  Emergence of villages and towns

�  Discoveries at Çatal Hüyük – a prominent village located in Turkey, occupied 7250-5400 BCE �  Pots, baskets, textiles, leather, stone, metal tools,

wood carvings, carpets, beads, and jewelry

�  Development of crafts –pottery, metallurgy, and textile production

Social Distinctions �  Accumulation of landed wealth initiates

development of social classes

�  Individuals could trade surplus food for valuable items

�  Archaeological evidence in variety of household decorations, goods buried with deceased members of society at Çatal Hüyük

Neolithic Culture �  Farmers closely observed the natural world – an

early kind of applied science

�  Elements of natural environment essential for functioning

�  Archaeological evidence of religious worship: thousands of clay figurines, drawings on pots, tool decorations, other ritual objects �  Fertility: Venus figurines

Beginnings of Urbanization �  Jericho: concentration of wealth, building a wall

�  Craft specialization

�  Social stratification

�  Governance

�  Cultural workers

�  Development of the city – a gradual process

The body of Tollund Man, a person from Iron Age Denmark. The corpse was preserved in bog deposits

for almost 2000 years.

This is the body of a Bronze Age man that was found in the Italian Alps in 1991 by hikers

during an unusually warm summer. He has been buried in this spot for 5200

years!