CCSS1
Unit 7: The Stone Age p.104-122
Introduction to History
In Western culture, we divide history by the birth of Christ (year 1)
– Before Christ = B.C.
– After Christ = A.D. (Anno Domini – Latin for year of our lord)
So, the years 1-99 AD = 1st Century AD, 100-199 AD= 2nd century AD, 200299=3rd century AD etc. Also the years 99-1BC = 1st century BC and 199-100 BC
= 2nd century BC, 299-200 BC = 3rd century BC etc.
Part 1: Prehistory p.104
Prehistory – began with first hominins (about 500,000BC) and ended with the
appearance of writing (3500BC)
Paleolithic Age (“Old Stone Age”) = 500,000BC – 7000BC
Neolithic Age (“New Stone Age”) = 7000BC – 3500BC
Part 2: Origin and Evolution of Human Beings p. 104
Hominids = the upper primates who walked upright and all their descendents,
including homo sapiens.
Hominization = the process by which the upper apes evolved into humans,
including brain development, walking upright, opposable thumbs, etc.
Principal Hominids
Australopithecus
Homo habilis
Homo erectus
Homo antecessor
Homo neanderthalensis (Neanderthals)
Homo sapiens sapiens
Part 3: Life in the Paleolithic Age p.106
Summary
3.1 Economy and Society p. 108
Climate: periods of cold (large areas covered w/ice) and milder ones
Hominids’ Diet: They were predators -- hunter-gatherers: they consumed
nature’s products without replacing them.
Where did they live? They were nomadic – they moved in search of resources.
Lived in caves or shelters grouped into camps = 1 hord (extended family) . Several
hords = 1 tribe.
Paleolithic Society: Hierarchical = some people were above others.
Tasks: Women reared the children, gathered caught animals, tended the fire and
treated hides. Men hunted, made tools and defended the tribe.
Paleolithic Beliefs: They buried their dead, so we know they had religious
beliefs. Worshipped forced of nature.
3.2 Paleolithic Skills p.109
-Working with stone: bifaces = stone axes to cut meat and work word etc.
Chips = used as knives to cut/clean hides
-Fire: first maintenance then production with sticks or stones -used for lighting,
heating, cooking, drying hides and controlling animals.
-Animal hides: used for clothing, shoes, shelter covers, bags and beds. Had to
be greased often to keep them flexible and waterproof.
3.3 Paleolithic Art p.110
First art = cave paintings representing animals (like in Altamira caves in
Cantabria and Lascaux, France).
Why? 3 Theories:
1. They thought painting them would help them capture the animals.
2. They needed to express themselves.
3. They wanted to show what they had seen.
-Paintings were very realistic. Colored red with iron or blood, black with coal, and
ochre/yellow from earth or plants.
-Also made batons (small bones or horns carved into the shape of a deer or
horse).
-Venus statues – made of ivory, stone and bone and found all around Europe.
They likely represent fertility because their feminine features are exaggerated.
Part 4: The Neolithic Revolution p.112
Video: http://www.history.com/shows/mankind-the-story-of-all-ofus/videos/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us-farming (4min)
Summary: 7000BC = Important economic/social changes= Revolution
2 Most Important Changes:
1. Hunter-gatherers changed Agriculture and Livestock
2. Nomadic lifestyle changed  sedentary
4.1 Economy and Society p.114
Natural Landscape: A climate change between Paleolithic + Neolithic Ages =
increase in Earth’s temp., melting some of ice in Europe/Asia/N.America.
-Large areas of tundra  forest
-Large herbivores went north, leaving less food for ppl.
-increase in plant species: barley+wheat in Middle East/Europe, millet + rice in
Asia, maize, sunflowers + potatoes in America.
Neolithic Diet: 1st ppl. to grow plants (agriculture) and keep animals
(livestock).
-Fewer animals meant that ppl. had to look for other food sources.
-They observed plants growing and began cultivating them => They went from
predators (Paleolithic) to producers (Neolithic).
-Ppl. started domesticating animals by keeping and feeding them together to get
meat, milk, hides and dung.
-soon bartering (trade) appeared.
Where did they live?
-Since they didn’t have to move for food, they settled into permanent dwellings
w/stone walls + wooden or grass roofs.
Neolithic Society: Division of labour appeared – different ppl. dedicated their
lives to different jobs.
Neolithic Beliefs: Believed in spirits and worshipped the dead. Ppl. were
buried under their houses or in necropolises (cemeteries).
4.2 Neolithic Skills p.116
-Stonework: added wooden handles to stone tools. Ex: ploughs for digging
earth, scythes for cutting crops, axes.
-Materials: vegetable fibers for baskets, then linen, cotton, wool and esparto
grass for cloth. Fibers had to be spun then woven on a loom.
-Pottery: pots made by hand and baked in fire and later kiln – could hold water.
4.3 Neolithic Art p.116
-elaborate ceramic pots
-funeral idols of stone + bone w/big, round eyes and triangle/line decorations.
-rock painting were more abstract + usually represented ppl. (line w/2 legs and
circle head). –often showed scenes of hunting, gathering, ritual dances (probably
had religious significance w/fertility of the land).
Part 5: The Stone Age in Spain p.118
5.1 Paleolithic
-caves of Morín (Cantabria) has burial sites
-important cave paintings in Cantabria
5.2 Neolithic
-Ppl. grew wheat + barley and kept goats + sheep
-North-east: ppl. lived in caves (Monserrat, Barcelona) and had graves or cists
/sists/
-East: ppl. lived in caves (La Sarsa in Valencia), made ceramic pots (cardial pots
= imprinted w/shells)
-Andalusia: cardial pots and dyed them red
-Most important cave paintings are in Levante, showing dancing/hunting scenes
w/abstract drawings of animals + warriors in red + black.