1. Prehistory
Unit 1: Early Human Society

2. Human Origins
What is prehistory?
• Prehistory dates back
to the time before the
invention of writing
roughly 5,000 years
ago.

3. What is an archaeologist?
• Scientist who learn about
early people by
excavating and studying
the traces of early
settlements

4. What is an anthropologist?
• Scientists who study
culture and try to recreate
a picture of early people’s
cultural behavior- customs,
family life, and social
relationships.

5. What is a paleontologist?
• Scientists who study
fossils and use complex
techniques to date
ancient fossil remains
and rocks.

6. Paleolithic Age:
• The Old Stone Age
• About 2.5 million B.C. to
8,000 B.C.
• Oldest stone chopping
tools date back to this era
• Nomadic- hunting &
gathering people

7. Paleolithic Age: Neolithic Age:
• The Old Stone Age • The New Stone Age
• 8,000 B.C. – 3,000 B.C. in
• About 2.5 million B.C. to
some areas
8,000 B.C.
• Used polished stone tools,
• Oldest stone chopping made pottery, grew crops, and
tools date back to this era raised animals
(domestication).
• Nomadic- hunting &
• Began to be sedentary and
gathering people less nomadic

8. The Agricultural Revolution
• Also called the Neolithic Revolution
• Increases in global temperature after the Ice Age along
with discoveries about planting seeds led to the
beginning of agriculture.
• With a food surplus, world population increased
dramatically
• People began to build permanent homes and
settlements (villages, towns, cities)

9. Post
Agricultural
Revolution
Beginning of
agriculture
Agricultural
Revolution

11. (Maps 101- spread of agriculture)

12. In your journal please respond to
the following question
Question: What effect did the agricultural
revolution have on population growth?
Why?