Overview of Early Man: Overview of Early Man: The Hunter-Gatherer The Hunter-Gatherer SocietiesSocieties

Foundations Lesson 1

Main Ideas:Main Ideas:• Activities of pre-farming man were Activities of pre-farming man were

focused entirely on the acquisition of focused entirely on the acquisition of foodfood

• By the end of the last Ice Age (10,000 By the end of the last Ice Age (10,000 B.C.E.), most hunter-gatherer societies B.C.E.), most hunter-gatherer societies exhibited a rudimentary level of social exhibited a rudimentary level of social developmentdevelopment

Eras of Early Human Eras of Early Human HistoryHistory

• Paleolithic Era (1 million-Paleolithic Era (1 million-40,000 yrs. ago)40,000 yrs. ago)– simple stone toolssimple stone tools

– simple shelterssimple shelters

– cave paintingscave paintings

• Neolithic (10,000 yrs. Neolithic (10,000 yrs. ago)ago)– farmingfarming

– innovationinnovation

– complex societiescomplex societies

– defined polytheistic defined polytheistic ideologiesideologies

Ice Age ManIce Age Man• Nomadic lifestyleNomadic lifestyle

– following food suppliesfollowing food supplies

– avoiding temperature avoiding temperature extremesextremes

• Food & ShelterFood & Shelter– typical diettypical diet

• Were they constantly Were they constantly hungry?hungry?

– Summer & winter Summer & winter sheltersshelters

Theories of Migration & Theories of Migration & SettlementSettlement

• ““Out of Africa” TheoryOut of Africa” Theory– humans follow animal herds & humans follow animal herds &

settle other continents during last settle other continents during last Ice AgeIce Age

– most accepted theorymost accepted theory

• Independent Development Independent Development TheoryTheory– human development occurs human development occurs

relatively simultaneously in key relatively simultaneously in key areasareas

• AfricaAfrica• Central EuropeCentral Europe• SE AsiaSE Asia• Northern ChinaNorthern China• Central AmericaCentral America

Complex ActivitiesComplex Activities• Clan-like social Clan-like social

developmentdevelopment– leadership based on leadership based on

dominancedominance

– other authoritiesother authorities

• Tool-makingTool-making– “ “The Stone Age”The Stone Age”

Complex ActivitiesComplex Activities

• Basic religious Basic religious functionsfunctions– talismans & talismans &

“medicine bags”“medicine bags”

– ritualized burialsritualized burials

Drawing the Pre-Drawing the Pre-Historic LineHistoric Line

• History:History: the recorded the recorded experience of human experience of human developmentdevelopment– Were hunter-Were hunter-

gatherer societies gatherer societies “pre-historic”?“pre-historic”?

The Lascaux CavesThe Lascaux Caves

The Lascaux CavesThe Lascaux Caves• What are they What are they

“recording”?“recording”?• What does this tell us What does this tell us

about their lives and about their lives and experiences?experiences?

• Consider painting Consider painting locations and Ice Age locations and Ice Age life—life—why did they do why did they do this?this?

• How are we similar How are we similar today?today?

Reading: Reading: The Clan of the The Clan of the Cave BearCave Bear

• Read excerpt from Read excerpt from The Clan of the Cave The Clan of the Cave BearBear (Jean M. Auel) (Jean M. Auel)

• Answer questions Answer questions over reading (due over reading (due tomorrow)tomorrow)