1) Early humans like Homo sapiens emerged 100,000-400,000 years ago in Africa and were nomadic hunter-gatherers who used simple stone tools to find food and shelter.
2) Starting around 10,000 BC, humans began farming and domesticating plants and animals, leading to the Neolithic Revolution. Villages like Catal Huyuk in Turkey grew to house thousands as people specialized in jobs like farming, weaving, and pottery-making.
3) The Neolithic Age from around 8000 BC to 3000 BC saw further agricultural advances as people engaged in practices like slash-and-burn farming and raising livestock. Permanent settlements replaced nomadic lifestyles.