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World History/Geography 1 > 1. Prehistory > Flashcards

1. Prehistory Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the 3 theories of human development?

A

God/intelligent design/creationism
Evolution
Modified creationism (mix of above 2)

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2
Q

What is a homonid?

A

A homonid is a humanlike creature that walked upright. This term describes both humans and their ancestors (fossils unclear/debated so this is less controversial)

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3
Q

What does homo habilis mean?

A

Handy man or man of skill

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4
Q

When did homo habilis exist?

A

1-2 million years ago

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5
Q

What did homo habilis look like?

A

Kinda ambiguous but they had a small skull and brain and a prominent eyebrow ridge. The skull was sort of elongated. There isn’t much evidence, though, so we’re not really sure.

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6
Q

What was the big achievement of homo habilis?

A

They made and used simple tools. They DID NOT use fire.

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7
Q

What does homo erectus mean?

A

Standing/upright man/person

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8
Q

When did homo erectus exist?

A

1mil - 375k years ago

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9
Q

What did homo erectus look like?

A

About 4’7, small forehead, smallish brain, powerful neck and jaws

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10
Q

What were some of the big achievements of homo erectus? (5)

A

They’re considered the first human species, they used better tools, they were the first to leave Africa, they stood upright, and they used fire.

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11
Q

What does homo sapiens mean?

A

Smart/thinking person

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12
Q

When did homo sapiens exist?

A

Technically after Neanderthals but they overlapped - maybe 250k years ago? I don’t really know, trust the texbook WITH YOUR LIFE

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13
Q

What did homo sapiens look like?

A

More like us - less pronounced jaw and forehead, lil shorter though

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14
Q

What were some big achievements of homo sapiens?

A

They were world travelers and also made more sophisticated tools

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15
Q

When did Neanderthals exist?

A

Maybe 40k-100k years ago? Textbook discrepancies go brrr
Stopped existing around 30k according to the TEXTBOOK but Mr Nah’s powerpoint disagrees so I don’t like this.

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16
Q

What did Neanderthals look like?

A

Shorter and stockier than modern humans with more pronounced foreheads and large teeth

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17
Q

What were some big achievements of Neanderthals?

A

Neanderthals used axes and scrapers (and spears and other more sophisticated tools) and traveled to Europe.

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18
Q

What were some big achievements that Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens share?

A
  • Good tools
  • Oral communication (probably)
  • Culture (art, clothing)
  • Buried their dead
  • Hunting and gathering
  • Hunting large game animals, requiring communication and cooperation
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19
Q

What does homo sapiens sapiens mean?

A

Wise, wise person

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20
Q

Why were we unchanged for the last 10-15k years?

A

Neolithic (agricultural) revolution - farming

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21
Q

What are the root words of paleo, meso, neo lithic ages?

A

Paleo - old
Meso - middle
Neo - new
Lithos - stone

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22
Q

When was the neolithic (agricultural) revolution?

A

8500 BC (date disputed, just use this one)

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23
Q

When was the really big flood?

A

12k years ago, 10x all rivers today, only homo homo sapiens sapiens survived

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24
Q

T or F: Homo sapiens sapiens are the most numerous and widespread animals on earth

A

F - we are widespread but not numerous

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25
Q

What are distinctive features of homo sapiens sapiens?

A

Hips for upright running, feet, hands with fingernails and good thumbs and fine motor manipulation, head, and brain

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26
Q

How did hominids go to the americas?

A

A big theory is that 10-12k years ago, there was a big ice age and a lot of glaciation, and ocean levels dropped. Hominids crossed the bering strait on foot which at that point was the bering land bridge. Some theories also suggest boats were used. (i mean they had to get to australia somehow, why not use them to get to the americas?)

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27
Q

What were paleolithic people like?

A

nomadic hunter gatherers that were skilled toolmakers living in some houses that were probably winter homes. They existed from maybe 600k-700k (wth???) bc to about 8000 bc. They had art and religion. ALso, they had gender equality and traveled in groups of maybe 20-30 people. they used flint and knew the environment.

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28
Q

What happened after the neolithic revolution?

A

DOMESTICATION!!!
Thought to have started in SW Asia with growth of wheat, barley, millet, and domestication of cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats

29
Q

Was the spread of the Neolithic revolution fast?

A

No. It took thousands of years. Heck, there are still people that hunt and gather.

30
Q

What is the out of africa theory?

A

This is the theory that humans developed in one place (Africa) then skedaddled on out of there through connected land. they then replaced earlier homonids in Europe and Asia.

31
Q

T or F: Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens coexisted and may have fought.

A

F - Homo Sapiens sapiens may have brawled (and won) with neanderthals, but homo sapiens were far away

32
Q

Order of hominids

A

Australopithecus, homo habilis, homo erectus, neanderthals by technicality, homo sapiens, homo sapiens sapiens

33
Q

What is prehistory?

A

The time before writing was developed

34
Q

What is archaeology?

A

The study of past societies through analysis of what ppl left behind - artifact examination

35
Q

What is anthropology?

A

The study of human life and culture incl. clothes, values, and society

36
Q

What are some examples of artifacts?

A

Artwork, bones, weapons, seeds, pots, tools, more if you stretch it enough

37
Q

What are the three main methods of fossil and artifact dating?

A

Radiocarbon dating (measure c14, accurate to 50000 years ago)
Thermoluminescence - measure electron light given off in soil surrounding - accurate to 200k years ago
Organic remains analysis - look at hair, blood, plant tissue - shows evolution in DNA and farming

38
Q

What was fire used for in paleolithic times? when did homonids start using it?

A

500k years ago starting with homo erectus. it kept away animals, kept them warm, and cooked food.

39
Q

What were the ice ages like?

A

they were at maybe 100k-8k bc (don’t look at me man, I just type here) - sea levels dropped, there was a thick ice sheet on much of the northern hemisphere, migration went up, adaptability led to survival

40
Q

What was paleolithic art made of and used for?

A

painted with mineral ore and animal fat and applied with fingers, twigs, or blown through a reed. It could have been for religious or magic purposes or a hunting instruction manual.

41
Q

When the Neolithic Revolution happened, what did hunting and gathering turn into?

A

Systematic agriculture - crops planted, animals domesticated, communities built

42
Q

What purposes were animals domesticated for?

A

food, clothes, beasts of burden, besties

43
Q

What was systematic agriculture doing in ASIA (not india though)?

A

Wheat, barley, cows, pigs, sheep, goat –> 8k bc
millet and dogs –> 6k bc (china)
Rice –> 5k bc (went to china after)

44
Q

What was systematic agriculture doing in INDIA

A

Wheat and barley - 7-5k bc

45
Q

What was systematic agriculture doing in AFRICA

A

Wheat and barley 6k in egypt then rest of Africa

46
Q

what was systematic agriculture doing in EUROPE

A

Farming in 4k bc (so late farm faster)

47
Q

what was systematic agriculture doing in MESOAMERICA

A

beans, squash, and corn from 7k-5k bc

48
Q

where were some big old farming villages?

A

Europe, india, egypt, china, and mesoamerica! Jericho is one example asis is Catalhuyuk was another big one. It was 32 acres with 6k inhabitants and a big dense population.

49
Q

What did having big farming villages with everyone farming lead to?

A

FOOD SURPLUS! We could use some of that rn fr

50
Q

What did food surplus lead to?

A

Fewer farmers, more artisans, shrines and religion

51
Q

What did having more artisans lead to?

A

Stuff getting made, trade, and economies

52
Q

What did having a big population AND food surplus lead to?

A

More jobs needed, and division of labor (i just know you’re gonna love this one sarah ;) )

53
Q

How did gender inequality start?

A

men went around doing stuff, women mostly stayed in one place with the children, men got food and did more protecting and thus got the more dominant role.

54
Q

T or F: With the agricultural revolution, tools, clothes, and food became more refined.

A

True.

55
Q

What marked the end of the neolithic age?

A

Well they started using metal like copper then bronze then iron so less stone. bronze from 3k to 1.2k and iron after 1k. Are we the steel age? no clue.

56
Q

What was the series of events that led to the development of cities?

A

Food surplus and artisans –> economy –> wealth –> armies and city walls to protect wealth –> ppl come together in river valleys –> city development!

57
Q

Where were some of the first big cities developed?

A

India, Egypt, China, and Mesoamerica

58
Q

What is the definition of a civilization?

A

A complex culture (way of life) in which large numbers of human beings share a number of common elements.

59
Q

What were the basic characteristics that defined a civilization?

A

Cities, government, religion, social structure, writing, and art

60
Q

What is a confluence and why does it matter?

A

A confluence is a place where 2 rivers/streams join to make a big stream. Very fertile and good for farming settlements and cities.

61
Q

What is a GOVERNMENT?

A

organizes and regulates human activity
provides smooth interactions between people
early on it was often monarchs

62
Q

What is RELIGION

A

An explanation as to why things are the way they are
priests supervise rituals to please gods and goddesses
rulers claim divine connection

63
Q

What is SOCIAL STRUCTURE??

A

wealth and power go up, making a class system. Rulers, priests, government officials and warriors are on top. Normies like farmers and artisans are in the middle. Slaves (how th did y’all come up with slaves this was VERY glossed over and I’m bouta bust down Mr. Nah’s door and pummel him with questions except I don’t fee like talking in person so it’s probably gonna be an email) were in the bottom class. Luxury items needed to distinguish people, new products made, trade goes up, technology spread. DEVELOPMENT OF CONFLUENCE CITIES WAS MOSTLY INDEPENDENT THO

64
Q

What is WRITING’s significance?

A

Keeping records, creative freedom eventually came along, leading to early literature and ending prehistory.

65
Q

What is ART’s significance? (neolithic)

A

Stories of nature, rulers and gods, pyramids, temples, paintings, sculptures, and more depicting these fabulous things. paint slopped on canvas wasn’t very popular back then.

66
Q

Key things leading to neolithic agricultural revolution

A

Brain capacity of humans expand
Production of more refined, smooth, and polished tools

67
Q

Key things that happened during the agricultural revolution

A

Planting seeds,
farming,
domesticating animals

68
Q

Key things resulting from the agricultural revolution

A

civilization comes around, food surplus, cultural diffusion, population explosion, migration, less nutritious diet

69
Q

How was our world affected by the agricultural revolution? What impacts hold true to this day?

A

Without it,
we wouldn’t have had enough food to feed our fast growing population
we wouldn’t have had the technology to stop hunting and gathering and probably would have kept doing it

World History/Geography 1 (8 decks)

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