PALEOLITHIC ERA
What does the word Paleolithic mean?
Old Stone Age
What does Neolithic mean?
“New Stone Age.”
What is an artifact?
A human-made object from the past.
What does the word “nomad” describe?
A person or group that moves from place to place instead of living permanently in one location.
What does it mean when soil is described as fertile?
It is rich and healthy, making it easy for plants and crops to grow.
What was the main way Paleolithic people got their food?
They hunted animals and gathered plants.
What major development marked the beginning of the Neolithic period?
Farming.
How is a fossil different from an artifact?
A fossil is the remains of a long-ago organism, while an artifact is a human-made object.
What were two activities Paleolithic people depended on to survive?
Hunting and gathering.
Which region of the ancient world was known as the Fertile Crescent?
The Middle East, including parts of modern-day Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt.
Why did Paleolithic people live as nomads?
They moved from place to place to follow animals and find food.
How did farming change where people lived?
People could settle in one place and establish permanent villages.
Which scientists study the way of life of people?
Anthropologists.
Why would a hunter-gatherer group move to a new location?
They might need to follow animals or find new sources of plants and other food.
What made the land around these rivers good for growing crops?
The rivers created fertile, flat floodplains.
What is one reason Paleolithic people began migrating out of Africa?
Changes in climate encouraged them to search for new places to live.
Why did farmers no longer need to move around as much as hunter-gatherers?
They could grow their own food in one location.
What type of source is a Paleolithic cave painting?
A primary source.
What can cave artwork tell us about Paleolithic people
It can provide evidence about their activities and interests, including hunting.
magine you are an early farmer choosing between dry, rocky land and fertile land near a river. Which would you choose and why?
The land near the river because it would be more fertile and better for growing crops.
How did the Ice Age help Paleolithic people migrate into North America?
Falling sea levels exposed a land bridge connecting Siberia and North America.
How did the development of farming eventually lead to larger and more complex societies?
Permanent settlements allowed populations to grow and communities to become more organized.
Why are primary sources important to historians?
They provide evidence or descriptions connected to people who lived during the time being studied.
A group of people hunts animals for food and moves whenever the animals leave the area. Is this group more likely Paleolithic or Neolithic? Explain.
Paleolithic
What two rivers were especially important to the Fertile Crescent?
The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.