PrehistoryThe Road Toward Civilization…

Warm Up Describe two things you learned about the

Middle East from last week’s map quest. (Possible topics: economics, social issues, geography).

Warm Up What do you think was the most important

invention in human history? Why? Write in complete sentences and include 2

reasons to support your response.

Warm Up 2 What stereotypes do we have about people

who lived in prehistory (think cavemen)? Take a look at the beginning of chapter 1,

section 2. Are these stereotypes fair? What skills did prehistory people need?

Review: Gender Inequality

What is gender inequality?What issues does the Map Quest discuss?Now take a look at a story that broke over the

weekend on this issue… in this region:http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/24/opinion/begum-saudi-women-driving/http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/26/world/meast/saudi-arabia-women-drivers/

Tasks1) Finish your map quest.2) Now it’s time to go back into history. Take

out a gold text book. Read chapter 1, section 2 (pg. 14-18).

3) As you read, take notes on the following:1) Identify 3 turning points in human prehistory

(events that significantly changed life)2) Write one sentence explaining how each

turning point changed life.3) Make a running list of skills people who lived

in the prehistoric period needed to have in order to survive.

Turning Points in Prehistory

Setting the Scene About 2.6 million years ago, the Earth was

in an Ice Age.

The Stone Age People who lived during this time relied on

hunting large animals such as mammoths for food.

These people were nomads. To make sure they always had food nearby, they never stayed in one place. They followed the herds of animals.

To help them hunt they used stone tools.

Turning Point #1 Discovery of Fire! Fire allowed early people

to move into cold climates. This helped people spread

all around the world.

Turning Point #2 As the Ice Age began to end around 11,500

years ago, the climate became drier and large animals headed north.

People needed to find new sources of food.

Turning Point #2 People needed to find new sources of food. This led to the invention of farming, which first

started in Southwest Asia What invention makes this possible?

Turning Point #2 People needed to find new sources of food. This led to the invention of farming, which

first started in Southwest Asia

The Plow!

Look carefully at this map. 1) Identify 2 areas where

farming began.2) How do you think farming

spread around the world?

Why is farming such a BIG deal?

People start settling down in one place instead of moving around.

Farming creates a surplus of food—not everyone has to hunt or gather to survive.

Families could have more kids. Land ownership / controlling land starts to become

more important. Cities begin to be built in areas where the soil was good

for farming. Governments needed to form to make rules and

establish order for a rising population.

Turning Point #3 Taming– or domesticating—animals This helped increase nutrition and gave

people access to resources like wool, leather and other animal products.

Animals could also be used in farming, carrying heavy loads, hunting or controlling pests.