- Unit of Study Details
- Timeline
- Hunters and Gatherers
- Tools
- Farming and the Agricultural Revolution
- How do we know about Early Humans?
- Otzi
Unit of Study Details
Statement of Inquiry: Characteristics unique to humans led to the formation of communities and societies.
Key Concept: Change
- Can you identify the causes, processes and consequences of the changes which took place within the Early Human time period?
Global Context: Orientation in Space and Time
- What are the turning points in the Early Humans timeline?
- How did the world become more connected through migration?
Timeline
Hunters and Gatherers
- What is important to modern hunters and gatherers?
- How do they hunt? What types of animal do they eat?
Tools
Read the following from Early Human Culture,
Some chimpanzee communities are known to use stone and wood as hammers to crack nuts and as crude ineffective weapons in hunting small animals, including monkeys. However, they rarely shape their tools in a systematic way to increase efficiency.
However, early Humans were different in that they did find ways to increase efficiency. The same website from above explains…
With the development of tools came the invention of fire.
The first fire that the early humans noticed was natural fire caused by lightning. They might have also noticed sparks while striking two stones against each other to make tools. Perhaps, they noticed the fallen leaves and branches catching fire from these sparks. Over a period of time, these early humans discovered fire by rubbing two stones and bringing them close to a pile of wood or leaves.
To learn more about Stone Age Tools, use the following resources.
Now test yourself, what do you think the following items were used for? How do you know?
What is it AND how do you know?
Farming and the Agricultural Revolution
The Agricultural Revolution changed how Early Humans lived.
Watch the following and answer the questions below.
Crash Course World History – The Agricultural Revolution
- How do we know about the Agricultural Revolution? (2.10)
- Why did hunters settle near the coast? (2.33)
- Why were hunters and gatherers healthier than agricultural people? (2.46)
- Where were the following foodstuffs found? Rice, Maize, Potatoes, Wheat and Yams. (3.20)
- What were the advantages and disadvantages of the Agricultural Revolution? (3.40)
- What was the alternative to agriculture, foraging and hunting? (5.30)
- Why was there a move to agriculture? (7.55) Five reasons
How do we know about Early Humans?
Meet Malaysia’s first archaeologist, who discovered the 11,000-year-old Perak Man
The archeologist in the article, Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Siti Zuraina Abdul Majid, explains the importance of archeology,
She also explained that her studies and what she learned,
What does it mean to be human?
Otzi