Geography, Early Humans, and the Neolithic Era

Geography and Early Humans

  • Geography Terms
    • Longitude: Vertical line across the globe.
    • Latitude: Horizontal lines across the globe.
    • Hemispheres: Half a sphere.
    • Equator: Center latitude line.
    • Prime Meridian: Center longitude line.
    • Location:
      • Absolute Location: The Longitude and Latitude.
      • Relative location: The locations in relation to another place.
    • Place:
      • Physical Characteristics: Landforms, vegetation, and climate.
      • Human Characteristics: Human population, economics, and culture.
    • Human-environment interaction: Adaptations and changes accidental or intentional to surrounding environments.
    • Region: A group of places with at least one common characteristic.
    • Movement: The way people goods and ideas move between places.

Time and Culture Terms

  • Era / Age: A broad characterized shared pattern of life. Do not have a start and end point.
  • BC/BCE: Years counting down to the year 1 BC.
  • AD/CE: Can refer to a date after the birth of Christ.
  • Century: Hundred Year.
  • Decade: 10 years.
  • Archaeology: Study of prehistoric people and their artifacts, building.
  • Anthropology: Study cultures.
  • Paleontology: Study fossils.
  • Carbon Dating: How scientists determine the age of bones by counting the Carbon 14 atom.

Origin of Humans

  • General Terms:
    • Bipedalism: Walk on two legs.
    • Hominid: Any member of the family of two legged primates that includes all humans.
    • Nomadic: Not one home.
    • Hunter & Gatherer Labor Division: Some hunted some gathered.
    • Cave Art
    • Migration: Migrated out of Africa.
  • Hominids:
    • Australopithecus:
      • Could stand upright.
      • Vegetarian.
      • Used rocks and sticks as tools.
      • Had opposable thumb.
    • Homo Habilis:
      • Handyman.
      • Created stone tools.
      • Nomadic bands.
      • Camp fires.
      • Larger brain capacity.
    • Homo Erectus:
      • Upright.
      • Bipedalism.
      • Controlled fires to cook food.
      • First hominid to migrate and leave Africa for Europe and Asia.
    • Neanderthals:
      • Shorter (55 feet 55 inches).
      • Lived in caves and tents.
      • Made close to bury their dead.
      • Well developed stone, bone, and wooden tools and weapons.
      • Had limited vocabulary.
    • Homo Sapiens:
      • First modern humans.
      • Migrated and settled in every continent.
      • Advanced and specialized tools.
      • Wore fitted clothes.

Neolithic Era

  • General Terms:
    • Domestication:
      • More reliable food supply.
      • Can store supply food, gave time to do other things.
      • Selective breeding of plants and animals.
    • Slash and Burn: Cutting and burning vegetation and using the ashes as nutrients.
    • Farming: Was crucial to maintaining.
    • Surplus: Growing more food than needed.
    • Specialization of Labor:
      • Hierarchy of jobs.
      • Gender division.
      • Skilled professionals and better products.
    • Trade: Had contact with other civilizations.
  • Crops: Wheat and Barley (Main crops).
  • Agricultural Revolution

Early Settlements or Structures

  • Jericho:
    • Early city.
    • In Palestine.
    • Needed protection and a steady food supply.
  • Aleppo:
    • Early city.
    • In Syria.
    • Needed protection and a steady food supply.
  • Jarmo: Earliest Agriculture settlements.
  • Stonehenge: Mysterious stone structure.
  • Catal Huyuk:
    • Largest Early Settlements.
    • Modern Turkey.
    • 6,0006,000 inhabitants.
    • Large quantities of buried animal remains.
    • Clay Figurines.
    • Bone Tools.
    • Bead necklaces.
    • Pottery Shards.
    • Obsidian / Flint Weapons.
    • Grain residue in pots.