The Early Humans

World History

Good morning girls!

Do now: On a sheet of loose-leaf create a chart like the one listed below. Fill out as many characteristics as you can!

What do you think early humans could do? What can humans do today?

Early Humans

The earliest humans were called hominids Lived in Africa about 4 million years ago The creature walked upright Called the “southern ape” Discovered by Donald Johansen

It was a female and the historians named her Lucy

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/education/

evolution/finding-lucy.html

Lucy

Lucy was discovered in 1974 and was the “first human”

She was discovered in Ethiopia, a country in Africa

She dated back to 3 million years

Homo Habilis

Homo Habilis – humans from 2 million years ago

“Handy man” First humans to make stone tools Used tools for purposes such as cutting,

scraping, chopping, or sawing plants, animals, and wood.

Homo Erectus

Term meaning “upright man”

Larger brains and bones and smaller teeth than other hominids

*First to use fire!*

New stone tool- hand ax

First to migrate out of Africa

Out of Africa Theory

“Out of Africa Theory”- around 250,000 years ago a new type of human emerged- homo sapiens

Homo sapiens- “wise human”

Spread from Africa to other parts of the world

This is the group of humans we belong to.

Paleolithic Age

A time period in history where humans made tools Used stones to make tools

Paleolithic people were hunters and gatherers Had to follow animal migrations and vegetation

cycles Nomads- people who moved from place to place

to survive. Usually lived in groups of 20-30.

Paleolithic Age

The main job of Paleolithic peoples was finding enough to eat.

Women- since they bore children- stayed closer to the camp

Men- went out to hunt for family

Gender Equality

During the Paleolithic Age- men and women were both responsible for finding and acquiring food need to sustain life.

Ice Age

Ice Age

The use of fire during the Ice age was important

Most recent Ice Age occurred around 10,000 BC and ended about 8,000 BC.

During this time, sheets of thick ice covered large parts of Europe, Asia, and North America.