Where Did We Come From?
Early Man
Understanding where we came from is a question that archeologists and historians have been studying for years. We still find new _evidence __ and draw new __conclusions___ trying to answer this very complicated question. We do know that man has _evolved____ over millions of ___years__. Evolution is the gradual, _slow__ process in which something __changes_ into a different and usually _more__ complex or __better_ form. The family of mankind is known as __Hominids__. Hominids have evolved over time to become the _Humans__ we are today.
Early hominids lived in small groups of 20 to ____50___ called ___bands___. They would _hunt_ and _gather_ all the food in one area before moving on to a new territory. They were _nomads__. Nomads are people who travel from place to place with no permanent _home_.
Our early ancestors started to __evolve_ and change over time. Their brains got __bigger___ and their ___bodies____changed. They were the first hominids to use primitive _tools__ about 2.5 million years ago during the Paleolithic Age, or Old __Stone_ Age. During the Stone Age, man created tools out of __stone___(hence, the name!). This technology changed the way humans lived. Technology is the___tools__, methods and materials that people use to control and _improve their lives.
Hominids continued to evolve over hundreds of thousands of years. Their tool-making skills were considerably ___improved___. Their weapons included stone __axes_ and knives.They moved from _prey__to predator as they began to use tools to __hunt_. They also started to __communicate__ and cooperate with one another. These early people also learned to make _fire___! They had no idea how the _introduction___ of fire would change their _lives___dramatically!
Why was the ability to able to make fire so important?
1. ___Location__:They could choose where they _camped__. They did not have to stay where there was _fire__. They no longer had to shelter out of the __wind_, unless they chose to do so. If their fire went out, they could _relight__ it.
2. __Warmth___-Control of fire made moving into _colder_ regions possible. They could count on fire to provide them with _warmth__.
3. __Protection___-Man had discovered most __animals___ were afraid of fire, so a roaring campfire gave __protection__ to the group or tribe.
4. _Light_-The control of fire provided man with more _light__. He could work during the __night__ and see into dark _caves_. He was able to accomplish _more__ because they did not need to depend on __sunlight_.
5. Improved _Weapons__- Man learned they could harden the _tips_ of _spears_ with fire to create stronger weapons. They also could create __torches___.
6. __Cooking Food___-It also changed the way they prepared food. These people began to __cook__ their food consistently. Food that is cooked is more secure from _disease__ and much _softer__ to eat. It tastes better and it does not take as __long__ to have a meal.
7. ___Social Life__-Thanks to their fire-making skills, a nightly campfire became a possibility and a routine. What was once _comfort_and safety was now also a _social_ occasion. People met around the fire each night to share __stories_ of the day's ___hunt_ and activities, to laugh, and to relax.
About __one__ million years ago, man began to slowly __leave___Africa. They did not need a ___boat__ because The _Ice__ ___Age__ was here! They traveled across giant walkways of __frozen__ ice to travel to different regions__. Man had started to populate the __world_. Hominids evolved and changed to adapt to their new environments.
In _Europe_, hominids called Neanderthals were stronger and had larger___ brains. Neanderthals also created stone tools, but they were much more advanced_. They were great _hunters_ and used _caves__ as their homes. They used bone _needles__ and sewed _clothes__ made with others animal parts. They even made _boots_! They also __buried_ their dead with ceremony, which suggests they may have had __religious__ beliefs.
Another group of early _humans_ called Homo sapiens existed as well(this is us_!) This group did _not__live a life of constant struggle for __survival____ because they worked together to provide _food for their tribe. These Stone Age people__ learned to cure and store _food__ for the long _winter___. They had improved _hunting___ techniques. They used __traps__, which allowed them to catch _prey_ while they were busy doing something else and invented the bow and arrow__. Some groups built __boats__ and canoes to catch bigger fish___ in deeper waters. They made _clothing_ and __jewelry_ as well. They also built tepee style _homes__ from branches and mammoth bones_. They would travel during _warmer_ months to follow animals_ and return to their homes during winter.
Man went through many changes to evolve into the humans of today. Fire_ and the creation of stone tooks_were technological advancements that influenced the way man evolved_, but the biggest change__was just around the corner!