1.1 Before Civilizationpgs. 4-15

The “Stone Age” Named the “Stone Age”

because most tools during this period were made of stone Later ages will be bronze and iron

Two major divisions Paleolithic: Old Stone Age Neolithic: New Stone Age

Food Gathering and Stone Technology Foraging: Hunting and

gathering to survive Most nutrition came

from fruits, berries, seeds, and roots

Food Gathering and Stone Technology

Hunting was done by men and gathering was done by women and children

Food Gathering and Stone Technology Hunting and gathering

were seen as equally important

Men and women were considered to be equals

Food Gathering and Stone Technology

Foraging humans lived in groups of between 20 and 50 people Large enough to provide protection from other

groups but small enough not to exhaust all food resources in a given area

Food Gathering and Stone Technology

In “game-rich” areas such as the African grasslands, groups only spent three to five hours a day securing food, clothing, and shelter

There was a lot of time in the day for artistic endeavors, tool making, and social life

Food Gathering and Stone Technology

The foundations of science, art, and religion date back to this time period Edible/medicinal plants, animal behavior, etc. Cave paintings usually displayed hunting scenes Formal burials indicate a belief in the afterlife

The Agricultural Revolutions Agricultural Revolutions: The change from

food gathering to food production that occurred between 8000 B.C.E. and 2000 B.C.E. This is often called the “Neolithic Revolution” in

some cases but that term is not as accurate

The Agricultural Revolutions The transition from food gathering to food

production took place over hundreds of generations

Forager groups returned to the same seasonal camps each year, leaving seeds and removing weeds to encourage the growth of edible crops

The Agricultural Revolutions Different crops were grown across the

globe including rice in China, wheat in Greece, and maize in Mexico

The Agricultural Revolutions As agriculture replaced gathering, pastoralism

(mostly) replaced hunting Pastoralism: The branch of agriculture

concerned with the raising of livestock Examples included sheep, goats, pigs, chickens,

horses, cows, and llamas

The Agricultural Revolutions

The Agricultural Revolutions Why did this revolution occur?

Warming of the earth led to a decrease in the population of animals that could be hunted

The Agricultural Revolutions Humans went from being nomadic (always

on the move, trying to find food) to sedentary (staying in one place to ensure the success of their crops)

The Agricultural Revolutions This sedentary lifestyle led to the spread of

disease, as settlements were contaminated by human and animal waste as well as insects

People had never lived and died so closely together before

Life in Neolithic Communities

Early farmers worked harder and for longer periods of time than hunter/gathering peoples

Life in Neolithic Communities However, they were able to create a food

surplus that hunting/gathering groups could not create This surplus allowed them so save crops for the

winter or a drought

Life in Neolithic Communities As human being settled into an agricultural

lifestyle, the importance of kinship and marriage grew exponentially

Life in Neolithic Communities People began to trace back their lineage for

generations and became part of an individual “family” This was in contrast to the hunting/gathering

clans that were essentially large families themselves, though not always related by blood

Life in Neolithic Communities

Religions in agricultural communities centered around “Mother Earth”, a deity believed to be the source of life

Life in Neolithic Communities Additionally, other gods represented

elements such as fire, wind, and rain

Life in Neolithic Communities Çatal Hüyük located in modern day Turkey

Life in Neolithic Communities In this new age land was the most valuable

asset and those who had more would be more powerful than those who had less This system of land-based wealth would last for

thousands of years

Life in Neolithic Communities After the Agricultural Revolution, men and

women were no longer considered equals Men worked in the fields and women were

expected to maintain the household and raise the children

As women became confined to the household, they lost their ability to speak out and make an impact as governments/religions began to form

Life in Neolithic Communities With a stable food supply, civilizations were

able to develop and populations grew Civilization: A group of people sharing similar

cultural traits in large societies containing multiple cities and organized governments

Life in Neolithic Communities Specialization of Labor:

The ability for other professions to exist due to the efficiency of food production

Life in Neolithic Communities Examples of specialized jobs include religious

figures, artists, merchants, warriors, and government officials