Paleolithic + Neolithic Flashcards
Ethnocentrism
judging other people/cultures according to our own
Cultural relativism
the idea that beliefs/practices should be understood
Paleolithic: Social
- Small societies
- Men hunted, women gathered
- No specialized roles
Paleolithic: Political
- egalitarian
- no permanent leaders, only hunt leads
- gender equality
Paleolithic: Interactions
- nomadic
- sexplay
- bands of 25 - 50 people
Paleolithic: Culture/Religion
- part-time shamans
- rock art in caves
- venus figurines
- animism
Paleolithic: Economy
- designated hunting zones
- no surplus -> no wealth
- no currency, tradebased
Venus figurines
Small clay figurines that represent paleolithic women and fertility, exaggerated features
Homo Habilis
- 2.4 to 1.4 mya
- africa
- first genus homo
- used tools
Homo Erectus
- 1.9m to 250,000 ya
- africa + asia
- stand upright
Homo Neanderthal
- 400,000 to 40,000 ya
- Asia + Europe
- Buried dead
- Lived at the same time as homo sapiens and bred
What homo was Lucy?
Australopithecus Afarensis
Paleolithic: Affect on Environment
- species went extinct (Neanderthals)
- land burned to encourage growth
Paleolithic
- stone age
- hunter gatherers
- developed language, tools, and fire
- 2.5 mya - 10,000 BCE
Neolithic Revolution
- new era
- 10,000 BCE (end of the ice age)
- population increased
- agriculture was created
Neolithic: Social
- thinkers, fighters, workers, and leaders
- sexism became more common
Neolithic: Political
- land ownership
- leaders and taxes
- laws
Neolithic: Improvements
- pottery and wheels
- clothes
- horses
- weapons and millitary
Neolithic: Culture/Religion
- polythiestic
- local religious variants
- writing and reading
Neolithic: Economy
- specific jobs
- trade routes
- surplus allowed for wealth
Intensification
Getting more recourses from the same amount of land
Domestication
The taming and selective breeding of plants and animals. Decreases brain size by 10%
Artificial Selection
The breeding of only the healthiest plants and animals to get more recourses. Often changes them to the point of being unable to return to original habitats
Neolithic: Pros
Consistent supply
Less starvation
More reproduction
Safer houses
