Prehistory
Original sources providing firsthand accounts or eyewitness perspectives.
Examples include diary entries, letters, autobiographies, photos, archaeological artifacts, and interviews.
Source | Description |
Diary Entry | Personal accounts of daily events |
Autobiography | Life story written by the subject |
Archaeological Artifacts | Objects from past civilizations |
Documents or recordings that discuss information from primary sources.
Examples include textbooks, newspapers, teachers, encyclopedias, and biographies.
Source Role | |
Textbook | Educational material |
Encyclopedia | Comprehensive reference |
Biography | Account of someone's life |
Internationally accepted civil calendar, also known as the Western or Christian calendar.
Evolved from a solar calendar system, originating from a lunar calendar system.
B.C: Stands for 'Before Christ', used for years before c. 30 AD.
BCE: 'Before Common Era', a secular reference to the modern calendar.
AD: 'Anno Domini', meaning 'The Year of Our Lord'.
CE: 'Common Era', a secular reference to the modern calendar.
BCE and CE are secular equivalents, while AD and BC are Christian equivalents.
1205 CE → 2024-1205 = 819 years ago (CE after 0)
1296 BCE → 2024+1296 = 3320 years ago
187 BC → 2024-187 = 1837 years ago
110 AD → 2024-110 = 1914 years ago
Used to indicate uncertainty about the exact time or timeframe of an event.
Lunar Calendar: Based on monthly cycles of the moon's phases.
Solar Calendar: Directly tied to the solar year.
Pangaea: The supercontinent that existed before the separation of landmasses.
Equator: Set at 0 degrees latitude, the closest area to the sun.
Latitude: Measures distance north or south from the equator (horizontal).
Longitude: Determines east or west location from the Prime Meridian (vertical).
Prime Meridian: Located at 0 degrees, dividing the earth into eastern and western hemispheres.
BCE stands for Before Common Era, equivalent to BC (before Christ)
CE stands for Common Era, equivalent to AD (anno domini)
Primary Source: Created at the time of study, e.g., artifacts, diaries, recordings
Secondary Source: Created later by someone not involved, e.g., textbooks, biographies
Example: Journals and dictionaries are secondary sources
Maps provide geographic information in a simple and effective manner
Latitude measures north or south of the equator, while longitude measures east or west of Greenwich
Prehistory studied through fossils (remains of past life) and artifacts (objects made by humans)
Relative Dating compares objects at the same site, while Absolute Dating measures radioactive elements
Scientists like Archaeologists excavate sites for physical evidence, Anthropologists study culture
Hominids are early human relatives, with Homo sapiens being modern humans
Australopithecus lived in Southern Africa, had opposable thumbs
Homo Habilis in Eastern and Southern Africa used Oldowan stone tools
Homo Erectus in various regions used Acheulean stone tools and fire, first with basic language
Ardi (Ardipithecus) is one of the oldest hominid fossils, showing ape-like and human-like traits
Lucy (Australopithecus) is well-preserved and complete, a significant early human ancestor
Otzi the Iceman (Homo sapiens) is a well-preserved 5,300-year-old mummy
Early humans were hunter-gatherers using tools like sharpened stones and spears
Paleolithic Era involved caves or huts, control of fire, and use of Oldowan and Acheulean tools
Oral language and cave paintings like those in Lascaux were significant
Migration occurred due to factors like the Ice Age, leading to domestication and the Agricultural Revolution
Domestication involved planting foods and breeding useful animals, transitioning from hunting/gathering to farming
Slash/burn farming was used to prepare land for agriculture
Stonehenge in England is a prehistoric monument with unclear purposes
Catal Huyuk in Turkey was known for art and religious practices, featuring mud-brick houses
Jericho near the Jordan River had a famous wall, similar to the Great Wall of China
Neolithic Era saw the development of agriculture, domestication, pottery, and weaving skills
Bronze Age followed, characterized by the use of bronze tools and advancements in tools and weapons
Specialized workers and advanced tools were evident in both eras
Prehistory refers to the time before written records, with humans inventing writing around 5,000 years ago
Modern humans appeared between 200,000 and 300,000 years ago, studied through fossils and artifacts
Relative dating compares objects at the same site, while absolute dating measures radioactive elements like carbon
Study humans and their cultures.
Analyze social structures, languages, rituals, and beliefs.
Example: Margaret Mead's study of adolescence in Samoa.
Focus on artifacts, fossils, and structures left behind by past civilizations.
Use these remains to understand ancient societies and human behavior.
Example: Discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt.
Study rocks, minerals, and the earth's physical structure.
Provide insights into the geological context of archaeological sites.
Example: Dating fossils based on the rock layers they are found in.
Specialize in studying fossils to understand ancient organisms.
Help determine physical characteristics and evolutionary relationships.
Example: Analysis of dinosaur fossils to reconstruct prehistoric ecosystems.
Geographers focus on the earth's physical features and human-environment interactions.
Linguists study language evolution and diversity.
Geneticists analyze DNA and genes to trace human ancestry and evolution.
Scientifically classified as Homo sapiens, meaning 'wise man.'
Archaeological finds date human relatives back to 6-7 billion years ago.
Example: Discovery of early hominid fossils in East Africa.
Australopithecus, Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, Homo sapiens, Cro-Magnons.
Evolutionary progression from early hominids to modern humans.
Example: Neanderthals' development of religious beliefs and complex language.
Australopithecines: First to walk upright and have opposable thumbs.
Homo habilis: First toolmaker and user of spoken language.
Homo erectus: First to use fire and develop technology.
Neanderthals: Built shelters, had religious beliefs, and buried their dead.
Cro-Magnons: Physically similar to modern humans, excelled in hunting and language.
Spanned from 2 million BCE to 10,000 BCE.
Discovery of 'Lucy' in Ethiopia highlighted early hominid bipedalism.
Evolution of tool usage from Homo habilis to Homo erectus.
Emergence of Homo sapiens and the coexistence with Neanderthals.
Example: Cave art and tool-making in early human societies.
Lasted from 8,000 BCE to c. 3,000 BCE.
Transition to agriculture, domestication of animals, and settled communities.
Development of pottery, weaving, and more advanced tools.
Example: Construction of megalithic structures like Stonehenge.
Shift towards sedentary lifestyles and the rise of early civilizations.
Around 3,000 BCE, humans in Beringia learned farming, leading to settled villages and domestication of animals.
Farming techniques like slash-and-burn were used until the soil depleted.
Pastoral nomads emerged as herders following food sources within an area.
Agricultural revolution brought advanced tools, allowing time for other activities like pottery and basket weaving.
Bartering was common for trading goods.
Climate change led to the end of nomadic lifestyles.
Farming allowed humans to stay in one place, leading to the development of villages.
Settlements were often located near fresh water sources for agriculture and drinking.
Specialization emerged with evidence of different workers for various tasks.
Transition to settled life enabled the development of metal tools and weapons.
Barter trade was essential for acquiring goods not produced locally.
The melting of the ice bridge between continents disrupted trade routes.
The Bronze Age marked the use of advanced metal tools created through metallurgy.
Copper mixing led to the development of bronze tools, replacing stone tools.
Smelting metal became a specialized process for tool production.
Transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age introduced iron tools.
Pottery became significant for storage purposes.
Larger communities began to form as people settled in one place.
Inhabited by 8000 people, Catalhöyük featured connected rectangular mud and brick shelters.
Houses were accessed from the roof level using wooden boulders.
Art was vital to their culture, with every house decorated.
Worship of a mother goddess and 4000 years without war were notable aspects.
Abandoned due to diseases, climate change, and overcrowding.
Jarmo, located in northeastern Iraq, was one of the world's first farming communities.
Left behind pottery, flint blades, and evidence of domesticated dogs, goats, wheat, and barley.
The community showcased early agricultural practices and specialized tools.
Aleppo, continuously inhabited, featured the Temple of the ancient stone god Haded.
The city had road connections to various regions and fertile soil for agriculture.
Religious buildings, caravanserais, and hammams were part of the city's infrastructure.
One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities globally.
Stonehenge, built between 3000-1520 BC, was a place of healing and cultural significance.
The monument consisted of 30 sarsen stones, with a mysterious construction process.
Used for religious ceremonies or astronomical observations.
Archaeologists are puzzled by the construction methods without modern technology.
Jericho, dating back to 9000 BC in Jordan, had the oldest defensive walls in history.
Scientists study Jericho to understand ancient settlements near the Jordan River and the Dead Sea.
The site provides insights into early human defensive strategies and lifestyle.
The theory suggests the first humans left Africa, leading to diverse human characteristics.
Migration patterns included reaching Australia and Europe, with Neanderthals going extinct.
Evolutionary changes and migrations shaped human diversity and characteristics.
Original sources providing firsthand accounts or eyewitness perspectives.
Examples include diary entries, letters, autobiographies, photos, archaeological artifacts, and interviews.
Source | Description |
Diary Entry | Personal accounts of daily events |
Autobiography | Life story written by the subject |
Archaeological Artifacts | Objects from past civilizations |
Documents or recordings that discuss information from primary sources.
Examples include textbooks, newspapers, teachers, encyclopedias, and biographies.
Source Role | |
Textbook | Educational material |
Encyclopedia | Comprehensive reference |
Biography | Account of someone's life |
Internationally accepted civil calendar, also known as the Western or Christian calendar.
Evolved from a solar calendar system, originating from a lunar calendar system.
B.C: Stands for 'Before Christ', used for years before c. 30 AD.
BCE: 'Before Common Era', a secular reference to the modern calendar.
AD: 'Anno Domini', meaning 'The Year of Our Lord'.
CE: 'Common Era', a secular reference to the modern calendar.
BCE and CE are secular equivalents, while AD and BC are Christian equivalents.
1205 CE → 2024-1205 = 819 years ago (CE after 0)
1296 BCE → 2024+1296 = 3320 years ago
187 BC → 2024-187 = 1837 years ago
110 AD → 2024-110 = 1914 years ago
Used to indicate uncertainty about the exact time or timeframe of an event.
Lunar Calendar: Based on monthly cycles of the moon's phases.
Solar Calendar: Directly tied to the solar year.
Pangaea: The supercontinent that existed before the separation of landmasses.
Equator: Set at 0 degrees latitude, the closest area to the sun.
Latitude: Measures distance north or south from the equator (horizontal).
Longitude: Determines east or west location from the Prime Meridian (vertical).
Prime Meridian: Located at 0 degrees, dividing the earth into eastern and western hemispheres.
BCE stands for Before Common Era, equivalent to BC (before Christ)
CE stands for Common Era, equivalent to AD (anno domini)
Primary Source: Created at the time of study, e.g., artifacts, diaries, recordings
Secondary Source: Created later by someone not involved, e.g., textbooks, biographies
Example: Journals and dictionaries are secondary sources
Maps provide geographic information in a simple and effective manner
Latitude measures north or south of the equator, while longitude measures east or west of Greenwich
Prehistory studied through fossils (remains of past life) and artifacts (objects made by humans)
Relative Dating compares objects at the same site, while Absolute Dating measures radioactive elements
Scientists like Archaeologists excavate sites for physical evidence, Anthropologists study culture
Hominids are early human relatives, with Homo sapiens being modern humans
Australopithecus lived in Southern Africa, had opposable thumbs
Homo Habilis in Eastern and Southern Africa used Oldowan stone tools
Homo Erectus in various regions used Acheulean stone tools and fire, first with basic language
Ardi (Ardipithecus) is one of the oldest hominid fossils, showing ape-like and human-like traits
Lucy (Australopithecus) is well-preserved and complete, a significant early human ancestor
Otzi the Iceman (Homo sapiens) is a well-preserved 5,300-year-old mummy
Early humans were hunter-gatherers using tools like sharpened stones and spears
Paleolithic Era involved caves or huts, control of fire, and use of Oldowan and Acheulean tools
Oral language and cave paintings like those in Lascaux were significant
Migration occurred due to factors like the Ice Age, leading to domestication and the Agricultural Revolution
Domestication involved planting foods and breeding useful animals, transitioning from hunting/gathering to farming
Slash/burn farming was used to prepare land for agriculture
Stonehenge in England is a prehistoric monument with unclear purposes
Catal Huyuk in Turkey was known for art and religious practices, featuring mud-brick houses
Jericho near the Jordan River had a famous wall, similar to the Great Wall of China
Neolithic Era saw the development of agriculture, domestication, pottery, and weaving skills
Bronze Age followed, characterized by the use of bronze tools and advancements in tools and weapons
Specialized workers and advanced tools were evident in both eras
Prehistory refers to the time before written records, with humans inventing writing around 5,000 years ago
Modern humans appeared between 200,000 and 300,000 years ago, studied through fossils and artifacts
Relative dating compares objects at the same site, while absolute dating measures radioactive elements like carbon
Study humans and their cultures.
Analyze social structures, languages, rituals, and beliefs.
Example: Margaret Mead's study of adolescence in Samoa.
Focus on artifacts, fossils, and structures left behind by past civilizations.
Use these remains to understand ancient societies and human behavior.
Example: Discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt.
Study rocks, minerals, and the earth's physical structure.
Provide insights into the geological context of archaeological sites.
Example: Dating fossils based on the rock layers they are found in.
Specialize in studying fossils to understand ancient organisms.
Help determine physical characteristics and evolutionary relationships.
Example: Analysis of dinosaur fossils to reconstruct prehistoric ecosystems.
Geographers focus on the earth's physical features and human-environment interactions.
Linguists study language evolution and diversity.
Geneticists analyze DNA and genes to trace human ancestry and evolution.
Scientifically classified as Homo sapiens, meaning 'wise man.'
Archaeological finds date human relatives back to 6-7 billion years ago.
Example: Discovery of early hominid fossils in East Africa.
Australopithecus, Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, Homo sapiens, Cro-Magnons.
Evolutionary progression from early hominids to modern humans.
Example: Neanderthals' development of religious beliefs and complex language.
Australopithecines: First to walk upright and have opposable thumbs.
Homo habilis: First toolmaker and user of spoken language.
Homo erectus: First to use fire and develop technology.
Neanderthals: Built shelters, had religious beliefs, and buried their dead.
Cro-Magnons: Physically similar to modern humans, excelled in hunting and language.
Spanned from 2 million BCE to 10,000 BCE.
Discovery of 'Lucy' in Ethiopia highlighted early hominid bipedalism.
Evolution of tool usage from Homo habilis to Homo erectus.
Emergence of Homo sapiens and the coexistence with Neanderthals.
Example: Cave art and tool-making in early human societies.
Lasted from 8,000 BCE to c. 3,000 BCE.
Transition to agriculture, domestication of animals, and settled communities.
Development of pottery, weaving, and more advanced tools.
Example: Construction of megalithic structures like Stonehenge.
Shift towards sedentary lifestyles and the rise of early civilizations.
Around 3,000 BCE, humans in Beringia learned farming, leading to settled villages and domestication of animals.
Farming techniques like slash-and-burn were used until the soil depleted.
Pastoral nomads emerged as herders following food sources within an area.
Agricultural revolution brought advanced tools, allowing time for other activities like pottery and basket weaving.
Bartering was common for trading goods.
Climate change led to the end of nomadic lifestyles.
Farming allowed humans to stay in one place, leading to the development of villages.
Settlements were often located near fresh water sources for agriculture and drinking.
Specialization emerged with evidence of different workers for various tasks.
Transition to settled life enabled the development of metal tools and weapons.
Barter trade was essential for acquiring goods not produced locally.
The melting of the ice bridge between continents disrupted trade routes.
The Bronze Age marked the use of advanced metal tools created through metallurgy.
Copper mixing led to the development of bronze tools, replacing stone tools.
Smelting metal became a specialized process for tool production.
Transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age introduced iron tools.
Pottery became significant for storage purposes.
Larger communities began to form as people settled in one place.
Inhabited by 8000 people, Catalhöyük featured connected rectangular mud and brick shelters.
Houses were accessed from the roof level using wooden boulders.
Art was vital to their culture, with every house decorated.
Worship of a mother goddess and 4000 years without war were notable aspects.
Abandoned due to diseases, climate change, and overcrowding.
Jarmo, located in northeastern Iraq, was one of the world's first farming communities.
Left behind pottery, flint blades, and evidence of domesticated dogs, goats, wheat, and barley.
The community showcased early agricultural practices and specialized tools.
Aleppo, continuously inhabited, featured the Temple of the ancient stone god Haded.
The city had road connections to various regions and fertile soil for agriculture.
Religious buildings, caravanserais, and hammams were part of the city's infrastructure.
One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities globally.
Stonehenge, built between 3000-1520 BC, was a place of healing and cultural significance.
The monument consisted of 30 sarsen stones, with a mysterious construction process.
Used for religious ceremonies or astronomical observations.
Archaeologists are puzzled by the construction methods without modern technology.
Jericho, dating back to 9000 BC in Jordan, had the oldest defensive walls in history.
Scientists study Jericho to understand ancient settlements near the Jordan River and the Dead Sea.
The site provides insights into early human defensive strategies and lifestyle.
The theory suggests the first humans left Africa, leading to diverse human characteristics.
Migration patterns included reaching Australia and Europe, with Neanderthals going extinct.
Evolutionary changes and migrations shaped human diversity and characteristics.
