From Hunters and Gatherers to Farmers

Chapter Three

The Time Period

Stone Age—– period of time when early humans used stone to

make tools.– Begins with hominids who could make tools, lasts

until people began using metal – 2 million BCE-3000 BCE

The Ages of the Stone Age

Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age)– People got their food by hunting and gathering– People moved about the countryside looking for

food and safe shelter

Neolithic Age (New Stone Age)– People learned how to farm and raise animals– People began to settle in one place

From the Old to New Stone Age

In the Paleolithic Age people were hunter-gatherers

Over thousands of years, people learned to raise animals and plant foods. This began the Neolithic Age. (c. 8000 BCE-3000 BCE)

How do you think learning to keep animals and farm changed the way people lived?

Creating a Stable Food Supply

Early farmers learned to domesticate animals. They raised sheep, goats, and cattle for meat. They used other animals to help them work.– Domesticate—to train a wild animal to be

useful to humans Agriculture created a more stable food

supply– Agriculture is the business of farming

Making Permanent Shelters

During the Paleolithic age, people lived in temporary shelters. Why?– Because they were hunter gatherers. This meant

they were constantly moving around for food. As people settled down to farm, they started

building more permanent shelters– Mud and stone were used to build the homes– Ladders were used to get into the openings high

in the walls of the structure

How did permanent shelter change the way people lived?

Protection from harsh weather and wild animals

Life was more comfortable New ways of cooking were developed People formed larger communities

Communities

With agriculture, came the development of early villages

How did living in communities change the way people lived?

– Division of jobs– Groups of people working together made jobs more efficient– More time to invent new ideas– Better defense

All of this lead to larger and larger populations

Jobs

Paleolithic times—people’s main job was finding food

Neolithic times—agriculture creates stable food supply so people can develop specialized skills– Farmers– Clothing makers– Craftspeople, stoneworkers

Trade

Paleolithic hunter/gatherers rarely traded In Neolithic times, trading became much

more common– Traded for resources like flint and ores– Trade was not easy!– Brought people in contact with others thus

allowing for sharing if ideas, resources, and knowledge

How did agriculture change the way people lived?

Stable food supply Permanent housing Communities Jobs Trade