Early humans, known as Homo sapiens, emerged in Africa between 100,000 and 400,000 years ago and lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers who relied on wild plants and animals for survival. During the Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age), early humans invented the first stone tools, learned to control fire, lived in clans, and created some of the first cave art. In the subsequent Neolithic Era (New Stone Age), the development of agriculture led early humans to domesticate animals and establish more permanent settlements where they began creating pottery, advanced tools, and weaving.

1. Early Man WS 2 a-d

2. Early Man Scientific name is homo sapiens. Emerged in Africa between 100,000 and 400,000 years ago.

3. Hunters and Gathers Early humans were hunters and gathers who survival depended on the availability of wild plants and animals. They moved many times and did not build houses. They settled around waterways because there were more plants and animals.

4. Life during the Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age) People were nomadic (migrated from place to place in search of food, water, and shelter). Began about 2,000,000 years ago. They lived in clans, and moved with these people. Invented the first tools made out of stone. Learned how to make fire, which gave them heat and light. They had an oral language, but no written language. First people to create “cave art”.

5. Hunters and Gathers Early Cave Art

6. Early “Cave Art”

7. Hunters and Gathers First Tools

8. Life During the Neolithic Era (New Stone Age) Developed the Agricultural Revolution (when people learned to grow their own crops) and became farmers. They grew enough food to domesticate or tame animals (make a wild animal gentler and easier to deal with). Some of these animals helped families with their work, and other times they were killed for food. People started to create pottery, more advanced tools, and weaving during this time.

9. Archaeologists People who find and study fossils, remains, and artifacts of people that lived a long time ago. These scientists perform tests on these fossils to learn more about them, such as how old they are.

10. Stonehenge Stonehenge is an example of an archaeological site in England that was started in the Neolithic Era.