CCSS1 Unit 7: The Stone Age

Students in the 1st year of ESO, click on this link to download the powerpoint presentation from class:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/53685594/CCSS1%20Unit%207%20.pptx

Here are the notes from class without the pictures:

CCSS1

Unit 7: The Stone Age p.104-122

Introduction to History

 In Western culture, we divide history by the birth of Christ (year 1)

–     Before Christ = B.C.

–     After Christ = A.D. (Anno Domini – Latin for year of our lord)

So, the years 1-99 AD = 1^st Century AD, 100-199 AD= 2^nd  century AD, 200-299=3^rd century AD etc.  Also the years 99-1BC = 1^st century BC and 199-100 BC = 2^nd century BC, 299-200 BC = 3^rd century BC etc.

Part 1: Prehistory p.104

Prehistory – began with first hominids (about 500,000BC) and ended with the appearance of writing (3500BC)

Paleolithic Age (“Old Stone Age”) = 500,000BC – 7000BC

Neolithic Age (“New Stone Age”) = 7000BC – 3500BC

Part 2: Origin and Evolution of Human Beings p. 104

Hominids = the upper primates who walked upright and all their descendents, including homo sapiens.

Hominization = the process by which the upper apes evolved into humans, including brain development, walking upright, opposable thumbs, etc.

Principal Hominids

Australopithecus

Homo habilis

Homo erectus

Homo antecessor

Homo neanderthalensis (Neanderthal)

Homo sapiens sapiens

Part 3: Life in the Paleolithic Age p.106

Summary

3.1 Economy and Society p. 108

Climate: periods of cold (large areas covered w/ice) and milder ones

Hominids’ Diet: They were predators -- hunter-gatherers: they consumed nature’s products without replacing them.

Where did they live? They were nomadic – they moved in search of resources. Lived in caves or shelters grouped into camps = 1 hord (extended family) . Several hords = 1 tribe.

Paleolithic Society: Hierarchical = some people were above others.

Paleolithic Beliefs: They buried their dead, so we know they had religious beliefs. Worshipped forced of nature.

 3.3 Paleolithic Art p.110

First art = cave paintings representing animals (like in Altamira caves in Cantabria and Lascaux, France).

-Paintings were very realistic. Colored red with iron or blood, black with coal, and ochre/yellow from earth or plants.

-Also, they made batons (small bones or horns carved into the shape of a deer or horse).

-Venus statues – made of ivory, stone and bone and found all around Europe. They likely represent fertility because their feminine features are exaggerated.

Part  4: The Neolithic Revolution p.112

Summary: 7000BC = Important economic/social changes= Revolution

2 Most Important Changes:

1. Hunter-gatherers changed --> Agriculture and Livestock

2. Nomadic lifestyle changed --> sedentary

4.1 Economy and Society p.114

Natural Landscape: A climate change between Paleolithic + Neolithic Ages = increase in Earth’s temp., melting some of ice in Europe/Asia/N.America.

-Large areas of tundra --> forest

-Large herbivores went north, leaving less food for ppl.

-increase in plant species: barley+wheat in Middle East/Europe, millet + rice in Asia, maize, sunflowers + potatoes in America.

Neolithic Diet: 1^st ppl. to grow plants (agriculture) and keep animals (livestock).

-Fewer animals meant that ppl. had to look for other food sources.

-They observed plants growing and began cultivating them => They went from predators (Paleolithic) to producers (Neolithic).

-Ppl. started domesticating animals by keeping and feeding them together to get meat, milk, hides and dung.

-soon bartering (trade) appeared.

Where did they live?

-Since they didn’t have to move for food, they settled into permanent dwellings w/stone walls + wooden or grass roofs.

Neolithic Society: Division of labour appeared – different ppl. dedicated their lives to different jobs.

Neolithic Beliefs: Believed in spirits and worshipped the dead. Ppl. were buried under their houses or in necropolises (cemeteries).

4.3 Neolithic Art p.116

-elaborate ceramic pots

-funeral idols of stone + bone w/big, round eyes and triangle/line decorations.

-rock painting were more abstract + usually represented ppl. (line w/2 legs and circle head). –often showed scenes of hunting, gathering, ritual dances (probably had religious significance w/fertility of the land).

Part 5: The Stone Age in Spain p.118

5.1 Paleolithic

-caves of Morín (Cantabria) has burial sites

-important cave paintings in Cantabria

5.2 Neolithic

-Ppl. grew wheat + barley and kept goats + sheep

-North-east: ppl. lived in caves (Monserrat, Barcelona) and had graves or cists /sists/

-East: ppl. lived in caves (La Sarsa in Valencia), made ceramic pots (cardial pots = imprinted w/shells)

-Andalusia: cardial pots and dyed them red

-Most important cave paintings are in Levante, showing dancing/hunting scenes w/abstract drawings of animals + warriors in red + black.