Paleolithic Life
What does “Paleolithic” mean?
Old Stone Age
What major change marks the transition from Paleolithic to Neolithic life?
The shift from foraging toward farming and domestication.
What is human migration?
When people move from one place to another.
Why were river valleys important to early farming communities?
They provided water and fertile land that supported agriculture.
What is an artifact?
An object made, modified, or used by people.
What was the main way Paleolithic people obtained food?
Hunting and gathering (foraging)
About when did the Neolithic Revolution begin?
Around 10,000 BCE.
What does specialization mean in a civilization?
People focus on particular jobs or skills instead of everyone producing their own food.
Name one river valley from this unit that we covered.
The Tigris-Euphrates, Nile, Indus, or Huang River valleys.
What is a fossil?
The remains or traces of plants or animals preserved in rock or soil.
What were the main roles of women and men during the Paleolithic Era?
Women were gatherers and raised children. Men were hunters.
What is domestication?
The process of taming and managing plants or animals for human use.
What are some examples of push factors and pull factors?
Natural disasters, climate change
Fertile soil, Fresh water, safety
Cave Paintings are considered to be what kind of source for Archaeologists to study?
Primary
What is a primary source?
First account or original object
Nomadic people during the stone age traveled in groups of how many people?
Traveled in groups of 20 to 30
What are some examples of specialized work?
Potters, metal workers, stone-masons, priests
Name one structure from the anatomy of today's civilization.
Complex Belief system -> Centralized Government & Social Hierarchy -> Specialization & Division of Labor -> Dense Population -> Agriculture Based Economy
What is the difference between a Push Factor and a Pull Factor?
A push factor are reasons to leave a place and a pull factor are reasons to move to a new place.
What is excavation?
A destructive process
What was a major limitation of the Paleolithic way of life?
Limited resources meant small, temporary communities and little stored surplus.
What was one major result of settled farming communities?
Permanent settlements and larger populations became possible.
The surplus flywheel connects which four things during the Neolithic Revolution?
Domestication → surplus food → free time/specialization → growth & creativity.
What is a Secondary Source?
What can archaeologists learn from material remains?
They can use artifacts, fossils, and other evidence to reconstruct human behavior, culture, and past environments.