Ch. 2 – The Earliest Human Societies
Lesson 1 – Hunters & Gatherers
Main Ideas:
1. Geography – Early humans adapted to the natural
environment.
2. Culture – Humans created tools to ensure survival
& to improve life.
3. Culture – Early humans developed language,
religion, & art.
1. How did hunterGatherers live?
2. Why did huntergatherers have to
move often?
-lived in groups of about 30
people
-hunted animals & gathered
plants for food. (Men hunted &
fished; women gathered nuts
& berries)
-For shelter, they lived in caves,
rock shelters or shelters made
from branches or animal skins.
-They were nomads who had to
search for food (plants &
animals). They followed the
animals in order to hunt them.
Scientists think this is why
hunter-gatherers left Africa &
migrated throughout the world.
They even traveled across
land bridges connecting Asia
& N. America.
3. What are the
positive/negative
effects of
migration?
Positive: When groups meet,
they can share knowledge &
tools.
Negative: They may fight w/
each other.
4. How did
When people developed more
technology give
complex tools, they could use
humans more
the materials around them to
control over their make better hunting tools &
environment?
tools to make shelters. This
way they could work more
efficiently & make themselves
comfortable & safe.
5. How did language Language made it easier for
help make hunters people to work together & to
more successful? cooperate, which would
increase the success of the
hunt.
6. How were religion
& art connected
for early people?
Art was a way for early people
to communicate their spiritual
beliefs. Art includes painting,
music, dance, & storytelling.
Lesson 2 – Learning to Farm & Raise Animals
Main Ideas:
1. Sci. & Tech. – New technologies supported an
agricultural revolution.
2. Culture – Agriculture made a big change in how
people lived.
3. Geography – Farming developed independently in
many areas of the world.
7. Why did early
They raised animals so they
people domesticate would have reliable source of
animals?
food.They also made clothing
from skins & tools & weapons
from bones. Some animals
provided labor. Dogs helped
with hunting & herding. Horses
& donkeys were used for
farming.
8. How did people
1st they noticed that grain
domesticate plants? sprouted from seeds. They
started to loosen soil, dig
holes, & plant seeds. Then they
planted seeds from the best of
the crop.
9. What factors led to People wanted to stay close to
the settlement of
where the land was fertile &
villages?
they found that there was more
safety in larger numbers.
10. Were there any
disadvantages to
village life?
Yes. There was always a risk of
fire, disease, & flood.
11. Where did
farming
develop?
Early villages in China & Africa
grew along rivers. Later, these
farmers were the 1st to use
irrigation systems that moved
water from the rivers using a
sys. of dikes & canals.
Lesson 3 – The First Communities
Main Ideas:
1. Culture – Some simple farming villages expanded &
developed into more complex villages.
2. Culture – Early forms of gov’t, specialized workers,
& social classes began to develop in
complex villages.
3. Culture – The way of life in a complex village was
diff. from that in a simple farming village.
12. How did surpluses
change the way
people lived?
13. What is
specialization?
14. How did religion
develop?
When the village had more
food than it needed, not
everyone was needed to raise
food. Also, surpluses of food
& other materials helped
villages survive seasons
when less food & materials
were produced.
It is skill in one kind of work.
Potters & weavers were
probably the 1st to specialize.
People who specialized
traded their products for
food. People trained in skills
& crafts were called artisans.
Some people explained
natural events (rain, fire, or
earthquakes) to others. They
also explained the meaning
15. How did early
forms of gov’t
develop?
16. What do we know
about the village
of Catal Huyuk?
of a good or bad harvest.
These people were
considered as holy & they
later became priests of the 1st
cities.
Since people were living in
large villages, they needed
laws & leadership to keep
order & settle disagreements.
It dates from about 7000 B.C.
About 5,000 people lived in
brick buildings that were built
close together. Some bldgs.
were used for religious
ceremonies. We know that
the people specialized
because mirrors, metal
beads, cloth, pottery, &
wooden bowls were found.
There was evidence of trade.
Also, there were wall
paintings.