Humanities - Deep Time History Year 7

History

The study of the past. It helps us understand people, places, and events. It explains how the world has changed over time.

What historians do

Study written records and sources about the past. They use books, letters, photos, and documents.

What Archaeologists do

They dig up artefacts, and study them to learn about the past. They use clues to understand how people lived.

Chronology

The study of time and the order in which events happened.

Timeline

Graphical representation of chronology

BCE

Before Common Era

BC

Before christ

CE

Common Era

AD

Anno Domini (The Year of our lord)

Decade

10 years

Century

100 years

Millennium

1000 years

Evolution

The process of living things adapting over time due to changes in their environment and survival needs.

Where humans originated

Africa, approximately 200,000 to 300,000 years ago

Scientific name for modern humans

Homo sapiens

COMA

Content, Origin, Message, Audience

Primary Source

A piece of evidence created by someone at the time of the event being studied.

Primary source examples

Letters, diaries, government records, autobiographies, artefacts

Secondary Source

Information created by someone who was not present at an event. The source was created after an event happened

Secondary source examples

Textbooks, encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases

Benefits of primary sources

Specific details, unique insights

Benefits of secondary sources

Not direct or immediate, easy to access

Limitations of primary sources

Only one side of the story (bias), rare or hard to access.

Limitations of secondary sources

Not direct or immediate evidence, author may misinterpret information

BP

Before Present. Present is fixed at the year 1950.

Ka

Kilo-annum, 1000 years ago.

Ma

Mega-annum, 1 million years ago

Two main dating types

Relative dating - compares items to each other, and absolute dating - gives an actual age

Relative dating

If something is older or younger than another object

Absolute dating

Gives a specific age in years

Relative dating techniques

Typology, Stratigraphy, fluorine dating

Absolute dating techniques

Radiocarbon dating, thermoluminescence, argon dating, dendrochronology, OSL (Optically stimulated Luminescence)

Typology

Relative dating technique. Estimates age by comparing items (like tools or pottery) to similar ones

Stratigraphy

Relative dating technique. Examines the layers of the earth. Deeper layers = older artefacts.

Fluorine dating

Relative dating technique. Measures fluorine, material such as bones absorb more fluorine the longer they’re buried

Radiocarbon dating

Absolute dating technique. Measures carbon 14 levels on once-living things (like bones or wood)

Thermoluminescence

Absolute dating technique. Measures light or radiation released from heated pottery or crystals

Argon dating

Absolute dating technique. Measures argon gas in volcanic rock.

Dendrochronology

Absolute dating technique. Counts tree rings to find age.

OSL (Optically Stimulated Luminescence)

Absolute dating technique. Measures sunlight exposure in sand grains.

Reason why dating is important

Helps place events and people in a timeline. Reveals when early humans migrated or used tools. Improves accuracy and supports evolution theories.

Benefits of Typology

Quick and easy comparison with known artefacts; useful for cultural analysis

Limitations of typology

Not precise; relies on finding similar items; subjective

Benefits of stratigraphy

Useful for dating layers of earth and artefact in relative order; simple and low cost

Limitations of stratigraphy

Only gives relative age; can be affected by disturbances in soil layers

Benefits of fluorine dating

Helps estimate burial time of bones; non-destructive

Limitations of fluorine dating

Only works on bones / fluorine levels vary on soil conditions

Benefits on radiocarbon dating

Can provide precise ages for organic remains up to 50000 years old.

Limitations of radiocarbon dating

Only works on organic material

Destroys the test piece

Not accurate beyond 50,000 years

Benefits for Dendrochronology

Very accurate for dating wooden objects. / Shows exact year.

Limitations of Dendrochronology

Only works on trees from specific regions. / Can’t date non-wood items

Benefits of Thermoluminescence Dating

Useful for dating pottery or burnt stone. / Works beyond radiocarbon limits

Limitations of Thermoluminescence Dating

Requires heating. / Only works on certain materials like ceramics.

Benefits of argon dating

Useful for very old samples (millions of years).

Accurate for volcanic layers

Limitations of argon dating

Only works on volcanic rock. / Needs special equipment.

Benefits of OSL (Optically Stimulated Luminescence)

Good for dating sediments and buried artefacts beyond 50,000 years,

Limitations of OSL (Optically Stimulated Luminescence)

Requires specific minerals. / Only useful in certain conditions

Deep Time

The period between the peopling of Australia [65000 BP] and British arrival [1788].

Pleistocene period

Dates older than 10,000 BP up to 2.58 Ma.

Colder climate and lower sea levels.

Due to a lack of well-preserved artefacts, scientists only have a limited knowledge about this time.

Australia is a larger continent known as Sahul.

Holocene Period

Between 10,000BO and 1788CE(and present day).

Warmer climate and higher sea levels.

Scientists have a deeper understanding a life in this time.

New Guinea and Tasmania separated from mainland Australia about 8000-10000 years ago

When did First Peoples arrive in Australia?

Approximately 65000 years ago

Megafauna

Giant species that were much larger than animals alive today. /Lived during the Pleistocene epoch (2.6 million - 11,700 years ago).

Natural Climate Cycle

A pattern of changes in the Earth’s climate that happens over a very long time, without being caused by humans. /These cycles happened because of natural events like changes in the Earth’s orbit, volcanic eruptions, or shifts in ocean currents.

When was the last Ice Age?

Roughly 90,000 years ago. Earth was colder, drier.

Sea levels dropped and winds were stronger.

Sea levels were lower because the water was frozen in ice sheets.

This allowed a land bridge to form between Australia and Papua New Guinea.

80% of Australia became uninhabitable and people moved to the coast for water and food.

Fire Stick Farming

Clear undergrowth

Attract animals like kangaroos

Start seed growth

Reduce bushfire fuel

Aquaculture

Channelling and storing water to ensure a consistent and abundant supply of fish and shellfish by using dams, weirs, and fish traps.