The Early Peoples Flashcards
During the Ice Ages, what continents were covered by glaciers?
Asia, Europe, and North America
What biome was the land south of glaciers?
Tundra
What was the weather in Africa during the Ice Ages?
Deserts were wetter, and tropics were drier.
What are the three periods the Stone Age is divided into?
Paleolithic times, Mesolithic times, and Neolithic times
When did Paleolithic times last?
2.5 million - 12,000 years ago
What did hunter-gatherers eat?
Plant roots, berries, nuts, as well as meat left by other animals
When did Mesolithic times last?
12,000 - 10,000 years ago
In the Middle East, what plants did people harvest?
Wheat, barley and rye
When did Neolithic times last?
10,000 - 5,500 years ago
What tools were created during the Neolithic times?
Sickles, stones, pots, looms
What is the meaning and description of Homo habilis?
Meaning: Skillful human
They were 1.5 meters tall, had smaller brains, and different facial features.
What is the meaning and description of Homo erectus?
Meaning: Upright human
They were taller, had different facial features, bigger brains, and were more skillful at adapting to the environment.
What is the meaning and description of Homo sapien?
Meaning: Thinking human
Neanderthals, who looked like modern day humans, tended to be heavier, shorter, and more skillful at survival than earlier humans.
Were Neanderthals the first species to bury their dead?
Yes
What lake was home to some of the first humans?
Lake Turkana
During the Paleolithic times, where did people get fire from?
Lightning
During the Paleolithic times, people moved from Africa to what continents?
Asia and Europe
What is Cro-Magnon?
A place in France where remains of early humans were found
Cro-Magnons look like what group today?
Europeans
Where did Cro-Magnons live?
Europe, South East Asia, Russia, Africa, and Australia
Were Cro-Magnons nomadic?
Yes
What are three tools that Cro-Magnons made?
Hand axes, arrows, and knives
What was the division of labor during the Paleolithic times?
Men did the hunting. Women gathered food, prepared food, parented, and made clothes. Children hauled firewood and water, and they learned skills.
What are three musical instruments made by Cro-Magnons?
Whistles, flutes, and drums
What crops were first grown in the Middle East?
Wheat, barley, and rye
What crops were first grown in Eastern Asia?
Millet, rice, yams, and beans
What crops were first grown in Central/North America?
Corn, beans, and squash
Where did Agriculture begin?
The Middle East
Where is Jericho, what was its size, and what was its population?
Location: Israel
Size: Baseball Stadium
Population: 2000 people
What was the division of labor in Agrarian societies?
People could specialize in what they wanted.
Where is Catal Huyuk, what was its size, and what was its population?
Location: Turkey
Size: 13 hectares
Population: 6000 people
Where is the Stonehenge located?
Salisbury Plain in Southern England
What were the large stones of Stonehenge called?
Megaliths
When was the Stonehenge built?
4500 years ago
Where is Easter Island located?
In the Pacific Ocean, 4000 km west of Chile
What are the Nazca Lines?
A desert plateau in Peru
What is a Geologist?
A person who studies rocks and the formation of the earth
What is a Paleoanthropologist?
A person who studies early humans
What is a Paleontologist?
A person who studies fossils to identify the vegetation, animal life and climate during a specific time
What is a Biochemist?
A person who studies human tissue to determine the relationships between people
What is an artist?
A person who recreates images from the past
What is a consequence of fraud?
You don’t always know what to believe
What are the three important adaptations that early humans had?
Upright posture, hands that could grasp objects, and a large brain.
When did homo habilis live?
2.5 million - 1.5 million years ago
When did homo erectus live?
1.5 million - 200,000 years ago
When did homo sapiens live?
250,000 years ago to present
How many statues are on Easter Island?
600
When were the statues of Easter Island made?
2000 years ago
How were the Nazca lines formed?
By removing stones and then piling them to make an image.
What was curious about the Nazca lines?
The images are so large that they can only be identified from the air.
Who built Stonehenge?
Probably farmers
Where did Cro-Magnons prefer to settle near?
Near rivers and streams in south-facing caves that caught the warmth of the sun.
What were hand axes used for?
Cutting meat, scraping bones and hides, and digging up plant roots.
How did humans during the Paleolithic times communicate?
Through gestures, signs, and grunts.
When the food supply of an early group was exhausted, where would they move their camp to?
The sandy shores of streams that fed into Lake Turkana.
Where were the famous Cro-Magnon paintings found?
Lascaux
What group structure did Homo Erectus live in?
Small or extended-family groups of three generations, with each group having 20 people.
How did Cro-Magnons make tools?
By hammering a bone or antler into a rock, and using the rock flakes to make tools.
What was fire used for?
Cooking food, defending against animals, and keeping warm.
Where did Cro-Magnons place their fires?
In stone hearths at the mouths of the caves.
