Early Human Beings

The Big Bang Around 13.7 billion years ago

Huge explosion created everything there is in the universe, all energy that will ever exist.

The Big Bang created galaxies, stars and planets, including our own, Earth

Earth Created around 4.5 billion years ago

Earth’s conditions allowed for life to develop

Around 3.5 billion years ago, first living organisms start to develop (single-cell organisms)

65 million years ago: Dinosaurs become extinct due to an asteroid hitting Earth.

Early Human Beings – Paleolithic Era

Early human beings were hunter-gatherers. Hunted small animals and gathered plants.Life was harsh and short.

2.5 million years ago – 10,000 years ago: Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age)

Humans start using stone tools (2.5 million years ago) Sharper stone blades would serve as weapons

Hunted larger animals

Early Human BeingsUse of Fire

Light, cook meals, scare animalsMade it possible to live in different climates,

colder areas

Early hunter-gatherers lived in small groups, or bands10-12 people and their childrenNomadic lifestyle (moved from place to

place)

Surviving the Stone Age

Near the end of the Paleolithic Era, two groups of larger-brained humans appeared.

Neanderthals (disappeared around 30,000 years ago)

Homo Sapiens, or “Wise People” – Modern Human Beings

Migration of Early Human Beings

Two main theories for this migration:

1.“out of Africa”: Around 100,000 years ago, homo sapiens migrated out of Africa

and slowly replaced other groups they encountered throughout the world.

2.Multiregional model: Development of modern humans occurred in different locations in Africa, Asia, and Europe at

different times.

Migration of Early Human Beings

Surviving the Ice Age – The End of the Paleolithic Era

Adaptation to the world’s climate

Building of new sheltersForming larger communities to hunt and defend

themselvesClans: 25-50 people with leaders.

Artwork developed in cavesHorses, bison, bulls, etc.

New Religious beliefs and practicesBurial Practices (ex. People buried with necklaces)Believed natural world was filled with spirits (animism)

The Last Ice Age

The Stone Age

Think: What could be some of the consequences of farming?

What are some of the consequences of farming?

Pros ConsProduced more food

and required less land than hunting

More people were able to build permanent settlements

Provided new sources of material for clothing

Planting crops and herding animals took a great deal of time

Farming was uncertain. If crops failed, families could starve

Nomads sometimes attacked villages to steal food.

Clearing areas for farming could lead to deforestation, clearing an area of trees

The Effects of Farming

Catalhoyuk• One of the world’s very first permanent settlements– Populated more than 8,000 years ago

• Located in what is now Turkey

• Population of approximately 6,500 people– 1,000 dwellings crammed together– No need for complex government– No streets – people climbed out through ladders in

their ceilings

• Supported by agriculture and animal domestication– Barley, peas, wheat– Cattle, sheep

Catalhoyuk

Typical Catal Huyuk interior (restoration).

What would be the pros and cons of living in a settled

community?

Pros Cons

Why Live in a Settled Community?