Chapter 3

From Hunters and Gatherers to Farmers

Section 1 Introduction

• Stone Age (2 million B.C.-3000 B.C.) – got its name from the tools people made of stone

• Stone Age was divided into 2 periods• 1. Paleolithic Age – (Old Stone Age) – 2 million

B.C.- 8000 B.C. – People hunted and gathered food. They lived in open areas or caves and were nomadic (moved from place to place.)

• 2. Neolithic Age - (New Stone Age) – 8000 B.C.-3000 B.C. – People raised animals and crops. They settled in fertile lands east of the Mediterranean Sea (present-day Israel & Turkey.)

• ***The shift from being hunter-gatherers to being farmers is one of the most important advances ever made.

Section 2 From Old Stone Age to New Stone Age

• With farms to provide their food, people could build permanent shelters, form larger communities, make better tools & clothing, and trade for other resources.

• These changes made life safer, more comfortable, and more interesting.