Vocabulary
surplus
more than what is needed or used; excess.
artisan
a worker in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand.
Where are some of the places that prehistoric art has been found?
Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, and the Americas
How was cave art different from other kinds of art created by early humans?
Jewelry and figurines could be carried around, whereas cave art had to stay where it was created.
specialization
a particular area in which someone concentrates or is an expert.
domesticate
The process of adapting wild plants and animals for human use
How did agriculture change the way people lived together?
Instead of moving around, people tended to settle and live in one place.
What does their art tell us about early humans?
Early art shows that humans had a spiritual life and that they shared certain beliefs about their world.
agriculture
the cultivation of food and goods through farming
slash-and-burn
Existing vegetation is cut down and burned off before new seeds are sown, typically used as a method for clearing forest land for farming purposes.
In what geographical regions did farming develop in Asia, Africa, and the Americas?
Asia and Africa—river valleys; Americas— upland regions
How did the end of the Ice Age affect the way people lived?
Global warming lengthened the growing season; the domestication of wild grasses provided humans and grazing animals with more food.
irrigation
To water crops by bringing in water from pipes, canals, sprinklers, or other man-made means, rather than relying on rainfall alone
nomad
a person who moves from place to place rather than settling down and living in one area
What are the basic characteristics of a complex village?
Their shrines, specialized skills, and trade all suggest a complex village.
What would be the pros and cons of living as a nomad? in a simple village? in a complex village?
Nomadic life would involve frequent changes of scene. Simple village life might be stable and secure, but somewhat dull. Complex village life would be more varied, with a bigger pool of skills, ideas, and needs.
migration
The movement of a person or people from one country, locality, place of residence, etc., to settle in another.
hunter-gatherer
a member of a culture in which food is obtained by hunting, fishing, and foraging rather than by agriculture
How does its inhabitants' way of life indicate that Catal Huyuk was a complex village?
Planned layouts, public religious buildings, specialized labor, and trade all suggest a complex village.
How did specialization help to establish social classes?
Potters, weavers, and other craftspeople spent years learning their skills. This led them to have common ideas and values. A social class is a group of people with such similar backgrounds and training.