Stone Age Basics
Which major change allowed humans to shift from the Old Stone Age to the New Stone Age?
Agriculture/Farming
How did hunter-gatherers decide where to move?
(They followed migrating animals and seasonal plants)
Why did farming allow larger populations to grow?
(Surplus food could support more people)
Why is record keeping a key part of civilizations?
(Keeps track of laws, trade, and history across generations)
Give an example of an artifact you might find from the Stone Age and explain what it reveals.
(E.g., spear → hunting; pottery → storage; cave painting → beliefs)
Why do historians split human history into “prehistory” and “history”?
(Prehistory = before writing; History = after writing)
Why was living in small groups an advantage during the Paleolithic Age?
(Easier to move, share resources, cooperate in hunting)
How did domesticated animals make life easier for Neolithic people?
(Provided meat, milk, wool, helped with farming tasks)
How did specialized jobs help advance societies?
(People developed new skills, leading to inventions and trade)
Why is fertile soil especially important for civilizations?
(It allows consistent farming, surpluses, and larger populations)
How did the development of metal tools improve life compared to stone tools?
(Stronger, more durable, sharper, used for farming/warfare)
How did fire change the kinds of food Paleolithic people could eat?
(Cooking made food safer, tastier, and easier to digest)
Why were permanent homes and villages important for Neolithic people?
(Stability, protection, community cooperation, storage of food)
Why were governments necessary as populations grew?
(To make laws, manage resources, keep order)
Explain how having a surplus of food could change the way people lived.
(Freed some people to specialize in other jobs, supported growth of villages)
Why do archaeologists study artifacts to learn about the Stone Age?
(Artifacts provide clues about daily life, tools, beliefs, and technology)
How did Paleolithic people’s shelters show adaptation to their environment?
(Caves in rocky areas, huts from animal skins/bones in open areas)
How did the Neolithic Revolution change people’s relationship with the environment?
(They began shaping it—planting, herding—instead of just adapting)
How might religion have unified early civilizations?
(Shared beliefs created community, justified leaders’ power, explained nature)
How does excavation help us understand prehistoric life?
(Digging up artifacts reveals technology, diet, culture, social organization)
Put these events in order: discovery of fire, invention of farming, invention of writing.
(Fire → Farming → Writing)
Compare the challenges Paleolithic people faced to those Neolithic people faced.
(Paleolithic = food scarcity, predators, moving often; Neolithic = crop failures, diseases from animals, conflicts over land)
What risks came with settling in permanent farming villages?
(Crop failure, spread of diseases, attacks, overuse of land)
Civilizations are often compared to “toolkits.” Explain why this metaphor works.
(Each feature—jobs, classes, government—works together to build a functioning society)
Why were artisans important in early societies beyond just making tools or art?
(They contributed to culture, technology, and trade networks)