Introduction to Prehistory

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Introduction to Prehistory History
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History vs. Prehistory

• Prehistory
• no written record
• reliance on artifacts alone
• History
• written record
• reliance on artifacts AND written record

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Professions

• Anthropologist studies human beings and how they
  live in groups
• Archaeologist anthropologist who specializes in
  searching for clues to how human beings lived in
  the past
• Historian uses written record to piece together
  what happened in history

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Evolution of Prehistoric Man
Australopithecus 2.6 mya
Homo erectus 1.5 mya
Homo sapiens 250,000 ya
A. Neandarthal 100,000-30,000 B.C.E.
B. Homo sapiens sapiens Appeared 200,000-150,000 ya replaced Neandarthals 30,000 B.C.E.
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Periods of Prehistoric Time
Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) 2.5 mya 10,000 B.C.E.
Agricultural Revolution ca. 11,000 10,000 B.C.E.
Neolithic (New Stone Age) 10,000 5,000 B.C.E.
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Characteristics of Paleolithic vs. Neolithic
Paleolithic Neolithic
nomadic hunters-gatherers small bands (20-30 ppl) simple tools weapons (ex. digging sticks, spears, axes, fish hooks) spoken language clothing (animal skins) fire cave dwellers/cave paintings settled communities (villages) agriculture domesticated animals simple government more advanced tools weapons (ex. sickles, hoes, plows) woven cloth pottery ? inequality b/t women men
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Characteristics of Civilization

1. cities
2. central govts./military
3. complex religions
4. job specialization
5. social classes
6. arts architecture
7. public works
8. writing

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Emergence of Civilizations

• When ca. 3,000 B.C.E.
• Where river valleys in Mesopotamia, Egypt,
  India, China
• Why still debated possible explanations
• challenge response
• material food surpluses enable job
  specialization development of large communities
• nonmaterial religion provides sense of unity
  enabling organization

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Historical Dating
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Historical Dating

• 2nd c. B.C. 199-100 B.C.
• 2nd c. A.D. 100-199 A.D.
• 1900s 20th century

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Primary vs. Secondary Sources

• primary source original materials from the time
  period without interpretation
• Ex. diary, interview, letter, birth certificate,
  speech, art, photo, literature
• secondary source accounts written after the fact
  with the benefit of hindsight interpretations of
  primary sources
• Ex. biography, journal article, book on a history
  topic