Hominids, Paleolithic Society, and Neolithic Society
Key Concepts
 1.1 – Big Geography and the Peopling of the Earth
 1.2 – The Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural
Societies
 1.3 – The Development and Interactions of Early
Agricultural, Pastoral, and Urban Societies
My How We’ve Changed…
 First Humans:
 Lucy
 3 ft 5 in
 55 lbs
 3.5 Million Years Old
 Ethiopia
 Oldest Skeleton ever
found.
Key Difference b/t Humans and
Animals in History
 Animals – Adapt to
environment to meet the
demands of the
environment
 Humans – Adapt the
environment to meet the
demands of humans
The Hominids
 Hominids – Include human
and human like species.
 Australopithecus – Short,
hairy, upright, limited in
intelligence, opposable
thumbs.
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Lived in eastern and
southern Africa
Phased out by about one
million years ago.
Many remains found in
Africa
The Hominids
 Homo Erectus – “Upright-
walking human.”
 Flourished from 2.5 million

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
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– 200,000 years ago.
Larger brain, more
intelligent.
Fire
Tools: Axes, cleavers
Language
Migrated – North Africa,
Eurasian landmass
Homo Sapiens
 Homo Sapiens –
“Consciously thinking
human”
 200,000 years ago
 Possessed higher levels of
intelligence and
communication allowing
them to adapt (i.e. – created
clothing for cold weather,
complex weapons)
 Intelligence allowed
movement – Africa, Europe,
Asia, Indonesia, New
Guinea, Australia, Siberia,
Alaska, North America
Paleolithic Society
 Paleolithic Era – The Old
Stone Age
 Start: First Hominids
 End: Twelve Thousand
Years Ago
 Key Characteristic –
Human beings foraged
for their food.

Hunted wild animals or
gather edible products
from naturally growing
plants
Paleolithic Society
 Relative Social Equality
 Hunter Gatherers

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Meant they followed prey
and moved with seasons
Lived in small groups
Resulted in no private
ownership and relative
equality
Areas where food was
especially rich sometimes
meant abandonment of
hunter gatherer lifestyle in
exchange for permanent
settlements.
 i.e.- Chinooks of the
Pacific Northwest
Paleolithic Culture
 Paleolithic Culture –
 Evidence of reflection
 Complex Burials (Neandertal
people)
 Creative Achievements

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Cro-Magnon People
 Very similar to modern
humans – Intelligence,
Communication,
Appearance
Harpoons, Bows and Arrows
Jewelry
Furniture
Venus Figurines (p. 17)
Cave Paintings (p. 18)
The Neolithic Era
 The Neolithic Era – “The





New Stone Age.”
Refers to the early stages of
agricultural society.
Involved the systematic
cultivation of crops and
domestication of animals.
Meant phasing out of the
hunter-gatherer lifestyle
12,000-6,000 years ago
Slow and gradual process
Neolithic Era
 Early Agricultural Society
 Increased food supply
lead to huge population
increase (p. 24)
 Villages and towns
sprung up (Jericho and
Catal Huyuk)
 Lead to specialization of
labor

Metalworking, pottery,
and textile production
The Neolithic Era
 Social Distinctions
 First time people had
opportunity to
accumulate wealth


Due to specialization of
labor and increased value
of land
Class System developed as
a result (first time for rich
and poor)
The Neolithic Era
 Neolithic Culture
 Accumulated working
knowledge of the earth’s
rhythms and passed
them on
 Religious beliefs in
multiple gods associated
with multiple things:

Death, fertility, etc.
The Neolithic Era
 Emergence of cities
 Dense populations,
specialized labor, and
complex social relationships
created by agriculture
eventually gave rise to cities.
 Larger and more complex
than villages

Specialization – Tax
Collectors, military strategists,
governors, etc.
 Influenced the political,
cultural, and economic life of
larger regions around the
world.