CATEGORIES OF INQUERY
WHAT IS HISTORY?
-History is the study about the human past. It is people interacting within and with each other in a given
time and space.
-Human decisions to change their environment, history helps us understand ourselves and our present
-History involves two areas; the original event in its time and space, and the account given by the
historian.
- Historians interpret the phenomenon and gives life to particular events
they consider important; placing them into a story. There are many
perspectives.
The Historical Process
Importance of different perspectives:
Historians are biased; Serves as check
and balance, accountability for
understanding the event, gives you a
big picture of the event.
3 parts: Questioning; asking questions about the past, evidence; gathering
sources and evaluating the evidence in the sources, and interpretation; Drawing conclusions, supported
by evidence that answer the questions.
Phonetian word Afruka- means
motherland
Human Evolution- is the lengthy process of change by which people originated from apelike ancestors.
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Charles Darwin; had a trip to the Galapagos islands; he saw high levels of variety
He was curious; He believed that earth was old and was constantly changing
The traits that help an organism survive in a particular environment are “selected” in natural
selection; he concluded that living things also change or evolve over generation; all organisms
have evolutionary adaptation; descent happens with modification Inherit characteristics that
enhance their ability to survive and reproduce.
How does it apply to human evolution? Humans and apes share many biological features;
humans and apes share a common ancestor; humans and apes should share a high percentage
of their DNA; fossils with humans and ape-like features.
o Human evolution is the lengthy process of change by which people originated from
apelike ancestors.
o Physical and behavioral traits shared by all people originated from apelike ancestors.
THE EVIDENCE (why is it that we say humans emerged out of Africa)
• Since we cannot travel back in time to observe these ancestors, scientists must use other kinds of
evidence to understand what happened.
• FOSSIL remains of LUCY- 1st Bi-pedal ancestor. Lucy was an Australopithecus.
• FOOT PRINTS in the hardened volcanic ashes- evidence of our oldest bi-pedal ancestors. estimated 3
million years old.
• Mitochondrial DNA- “Real Eve Theory”- Mitochondrial Eve is different than biblical “Eve.” Not one
woman who started humans, but her DNA line survived, as all other dropped out, making her the
“common genetic ancestor” for all humans alive today.
-- The majority of northern Africa was rainforest; Ramapithecus and Proconsul, were full arboreal apes
living in these forests.
-The great rift was created: 5 million years ago changes occurred! The great rift valley was created in
eastern Africa; What it caused? Isolate the ape population from their peers in the west; the rift also
created a “rainshadow desert” to its leeward side.
-Changes in environment: Change in rain levels changed the landscape of the region from rainforest to
savannah; Develop a new form of transportation so they evolved the ability to walk upright.
- Change in climate and environment lead to competition for resources; Hunter-gatherers;
Animals migrated out of Africa; Due to climatic change, environmental changes and animal migrations
homo erectus and homo sapiens moved out of Africa.
-Migratory routes by Cheikh anta Diop: 1.Migrated through the Sahara into the Iberian peninsula
(Europe); 2) Isthmus separating the Mediterranean sea from the red sea.
-Due to environmental and geographical location changes occurred: They migrated into Europe which
was cold so they started to have several changes in skin color and facial characteristics.
Stone Age" is used to describe a period of human evolution where stone was used as the hardest
material for making tools.
• Early stone age/ Paleolithic
Oldowan Tools- Describe it & uses
Songoan Tools- Describe it & uses
• Middle Stone Age/ Mesolithic
Achuelian Tools- named after St. Acheul- Describe it & uses (most found in France)
• Late Stone Age/ Neolithic
Microlith Tools – Describe it & uses
Two technological breakthroughs- # 1 Cultivation of food crops and the raising of herds of animals
# 2 Production and use of metal tools and weapons (GOLD and IRON ORE)
Process of making stone tools:
1. The process started with a large piece of rock
2. The humans shaped the rock with a stone hammer
3. Using a hammer made of wood, stone, or antler they sharpened the edge.
Iron Age: The stage in the development of any people in which tools and weapons whose main
ingredient was iron were prominent.
The Nok civilization- “Iron way of life”, existed as early as 1000 B.C., in what is now identified as Nigeria
The Bantu People: first to develop the use of metal in West Africa and kept it as a secret at 1st
What were the effects of Agriculture on society?
People began to settle down
Population began to increase
They found leaders to decide
Surplus production: trading
People began to specialize in jobs
Creation of
large cities and
They created rabta or sedd which are
education
dikes made or branches or stones
(dams) as methods of controlling
water.
Review you
tests and you notes!!!! The exam does not include
only what is on the guide!!!
What determines a civilization?
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Major cities
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Religious systems
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Social classes: Rich, poor,
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Art and Architecture
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Government
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Writing
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Public works
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Job specialization