Midterm Examination Review 2014

Social Studies: Ancient Civilizations

5th Prep
Ms. Adames
Name:___________________________________________
Grade & Homeroom: __________________________________________
The Distant Past
Vocabulary

Archaeology: The study of things that earlier people left behind.

Fossil: The remains, such as bones, of humans and animals that were once alive.
Migrate: To move from one place to another.
Hominid: Any member of different species with humanlike features.
Theory: A proposed explanation about life.
Prehistory: The period of time before people began to write.
Paleolithic Era: The earliest period of the Stone Age.
Artifact: A human-made object, especially from long ago; artifacts include art,
clothing, pottery, tools, and weapons.

Uncovering The Past

Scientists who work in archaeology study things that earlier people left behind.
Archaeologists study the remains of ancient campsites, shelters, and other buildings.
They also learn from artifacts objects made by people. Artifacts include such items as
art, clothing, pottery, tools, and weapons.
Other evidence from the distant past includes fossils. Some scientist study remains,
such as bones, of once living animals and humans. Fossils can also be footprints
preserved in what is now rock.
Artifacts help us learn how early humans lived from day to day. Fossils can provide
clues to help us imagine what early humans looked like.
By comparing the artifacts and fossils of early humans from different time periods,
scientists can see how their ways of life and physical features changed over time.
From this, they develop theories, or accepted explanations, about life in the distant
past.

Excavating Sites
Midterm Examination Review 2014
Social Studies: Ancient Civilizations

Scientists excavate archaeological sites by digging up artifacts and fossils. A site

might be a place where prehistoric people once sat around a campfire to work, cook,
and eat. It could also be a larger area, such as the ruins of an early village.
Some sites are inside caves or near where rivers once flowed, while others lie beneath
present-day village and cities. Many sites are found after years of careful studies and
research, but others are found by chance.
When excavating a site, scientists divide it into a grid of squares. They dig up each
plot separately so that they can keep track of exactly where each artifact or fossil was
found. To remove the soil from around the objects, scientists use such tools as
shovels, brushes, and small picks.

African Beginning

For more than 75 years, archaeologists and other scientists have worked at sites in
eastern Africa. There they found traces of early hominids, or humans and species with
humanlike characteristics.
In 1974, Donald Johanson discovered bones from a female australopithecine that
became known as "Lucy." This female was about 20 years old and 4 feet tall when
she died.
Some australopithecines lived in forests. They ate mostly plants, especially fruit, and
perhaps small animals.
Other australopithecines learned to live on open grasslands. They ate different plants
and perhaps more meat than those living in forests. They also moved over longer
distances in search of food.
This diet and movement caused this hominid to become different from other
australopithecines. Their brain size increased, and they grew larger and stronger.
Their legs became longer, helping them travel more quickly.
Fossils of the earliest hominids have been found in Africa. These discoveries provide
strong evidence that human life may have begun there.

The Paleolithic Era

By 2.5 million years ago, Homo habilis lived in Africa.

Like australopithecine, Homo habilis walked upright. However, it had a larger brain
in a rounder skull, and its face and jaw were smaller.
Near Homo habilis bones, scientists have found simple stone tools, making this
hominid the first known toolmaker. In fact, the name Homo Habilis means "handy
person." Homo Habilis chipped stones to make tools, which they used to chop,
scrape, and do other simple tasks.
The appearance of the first chipped stone tools began what is known as the Paleolithic
Era, or Old Stone Age. This period began about 2.5 million years ago and ended
about 10,000 years ago.
About 1.9 million years ago, another kind of hominid appeared in Africa. Today, it is
known as Homo erectus, meaning "upright person."
Midterm Examination Review 2014
Social Studies: Ancient Civilizations

Homo Erectus was larger and stronger than earlier hominids. It also had shorter arms
and longer legs. Its brain was much larger, too. Flexible hands allowed Homo Erectus
to make better tools, including stone hand axes for chopping and for digging up roots
to eat. Later, Homo erectus made spears from wood for hunting.
Homo Erectus is the first-known hominid to master the use of fire. Perhaps earlier
hominids used fires caused by lightning or volcanoes. Yet, Homo Erectus learned to
start fires. With fire, Homo erectus cooked food, kept away wild animals, and stayed
warm in colder places.
Earlier hominids communicated with hand and arm movements and simple sounds.
With a larger brain, Homo erectus may have developed some speech.

Beyond Africa

About 2 million years ago, Earth's climate turned colder and drier. This change
transformed Africa's forests into vast grasslands. In search of food and water, Homo
erectus, as well as wild animals, began to migrate, or move from one place to another.
Homo Erectus is the first known hominid to migrate and settle outside Africa. Bones
and stone tools of Homo erectus have been found in parts of Asia and Europe.
To survive in these new surroundings, Homo erectus learned to change its ways of
life, just as earlier hominids had done in Africa. Homo erectus was better at survival,
however, and after many years, it was the only surviving hominids.
Early Modern Humans
Vocabulary

Humankind: The human race.

Adapt: To change to fit the surroundings.

Hunters and gatherers: Members of Homo sapiens who spent many hours a day searching
for food.

Extinct: No longer found on Earth.

Environment: Surroundings.

Consequences: A result of an action.

Technology: The proper application of knowledge to develop new tools or ways to make
and do things.

Midterm Examination Review 2014

Social Studies: Ancient Civilizations

Humankind Begins

Like earlier hominids, Homo sapiens, or early modern humans, probably first
lived in Africa. Most experts believe that Homo sapiens had appeared in tropical
Africa by 200,00 years ago, which represents the beginning of humankind.
The physical development of early humans was superior to that of earlier
hominids. With finger and hands like ours, early humans could handle things with
more skill.
Using their greater intelligence, early humans advanced the development of tools
with new technology, or ways to make and do things. They developed more
complex tools for specific purposes. They made tools from antler, bones, wood
and stone for cutting and scraping. They also crafted bones needles for sewing
animals skins into clothing. Early humans designed weapons such as stone points
attached to wooden spears as well as spear throwers.
Early human also used their greater intelligence in other ways. About 50,000
years ago, the development of language began to accelerate, or speed up, which
greatly improved communication. Better communication allowed early human to
plan and organize better as well as more easily share new ideas and new
knowledge.
Adapting to the Environment

Like earlier hominids, early humans survived by living in groups. Each group was
made up of related family members, with a total of about 30 people.
These groups of humans found new ways to adapt to, or change to fit, the
surroundings. By learning to adapt, they had a better chance of survival.
Groups of earlier humans lived in a wide variety of shelters. Some used cave and rock
ledges. Others built temporary shelters out of resources available in their local
environments, or surrounding.
For food, the women gathered wild grasses, nuts, and seeds. They also dug up plant
roots and picked fruit from bushes and trees.
The men hunted wild animals, including animals that are now extinct, or no longer
found on Earth. Giant sloths, saber-toothed cats, and elephant-like mammoths and
mastodons are animals that once lived but are now extinct.
The man also hunted smaller animals such as deer ad bison. Like giant animals, some
of these smaller animals provided not only meat for food but also bones for tools and
skins for shelters and clothing.
On the Move

Groups of early humans survived by hunting and gathering. For this reason, they can
be called hunters and gatherers. They spent many hours each day searching for food,
yet hunting and gathering did not take up all their time.
Groups of hunters and gatherers were always on the move, which meant they had no
permanent home. Instead they lived in different places in different seasons.
Midterm Examination Review 2014
Social Studies: Ancient Civilizations

As the weather changed and food could no longer be found in one place, they moved
on to the next place. Hunters and gatherers followed animal migrations, too.
Early humans gathered plants in an area about as far as they could walk out and back
in a day. Once they had gathered and eaten the usual plants in an area, they moved on.
Following animal migrations required them to move even more often.
Like earlier hominids, early humans had to learn the consequences, or results, of an
action. For example, if they learned that eating a certain plant made them sick, they
avoided eating that plant. This skill helped them survive.

Moving Across Continents

Most experts believe that early humans began to migrate out of Africa to other
continent in search of food.. How they traveled to the different continents is still
unknown. According to the most widely accepted theory, a change in climate made
this possible.
During the last Ice Age, Earth's climate became so cold that glaciers formed. These
huge sheets of ice covered large parts of Earth
So much of Earth's water was frozen in glaciers that the level of the oceans dropped
by as much as 300 feet. This caused "bridges" of dry land to be uncovered between
the different continents.
Early humans arrived in southwestern Asia from Africa over a land bridge about
90,000 years ago. By 65,000 years ago they lived in Eastern Europe and much of
Asia.
As Earth's climate warmed about 15,000 years ago, glaciers that had blocked a land
bridge between Asia and North America began to melt. They may have allowed early
humans to settle in North and South America.
As these humans migrated, they saw other prehistoric peoples. Neanderthals and CroMagnons lived in Europe and Asia during part of the time when others were
migrating there.
Neanderthals may have been the first to bury their dead. By 300,000 years ago, CroMagnons in Europe had created the first known art. They left behind rock and bone
carvings and cave paintings. Most experts believe that Neanderthals lived until about
35,000 years ago.
Hunters and Gatherers of the World
Vocabulary

Nomad: A person with no settled home.

Culture: A way of life shared by members of a group.

Society: A group of people living and working under a set of rules and traditions.

Role: The part a person plays in society; responsibility

Midterm Examination Review 2014
Social Studies: Ancient Civilizations

Around the World

As the Ice Age ended about 12,000 years ago, climatic changes altered environments
around the world. Temperatures began to rise and glaciers melted. Oceans rose and
covered the old coastlines as well as land bridges. Grasslands grew in some places,
and forest rose up in others. Large Ice Age animals gradually disappeared, while
smaller animals flourished.
By this time, human communities had populated the major regions of the world. Most
people had no settled home. These nomads followed the migrations of animals and
the seasons of plants.
As different groups of humans adapted to a variety of environments, each group
developed a different society. A society is a group of people living and working under
a set of rules and traditions. Each person in a society has a role, or responsibility.
As humans around the world interacted, or had contact, with their local environments,
they developed more complex cultures, or ways of life shared by members of a group.
Africa

As Earth's climate changed, deserts in northern Africa became more livable. The
Sahara, today a huge desert, received enough rain fro grasses and other plants to
grow. Early Africans began to migrate across these regions. Some stayed and adapted
to life there, learning ways to find water, food and shelter.
Others roamed the African savannas in search of food. Still others moved toward the
rivers, lakes, and coasts where fishing became important
By 15,000 years ago, people had set up a camp at Nelson's Bay Cave, on the coast of
Southern Africa. Hunters there killed antelope, wild pigs and seabirds. Fishers used
nets and hooks to catch fish.
At about the same time, a new weapon improved the skills of hunters in Africa--the
bow and arrow. The development of the bow and arrow was important. It allowed
people to hunt with more accuracy. It also let them kill prey from a distance,
providing greater safety for hunters.

Europe

Europe's landscape changed dramatically from plains to forests. In the past, early
Europeans had hunted on wide, open plains. Now they hunted for game in thick forest
and fished on shorelines. As part of adapting to this environment, they learned to make
tools that could do special jobs.
People living along the Baltic Sea came up with tools for catching fish. They used
fishing spears, harpoons, nets, and traps and made their spear tips from stone, bone or
antlers.
Early Europeans improved their skills at hunting and gathering. Like other early
people, they began to use bows and arrows for hunting. They found new kinds of
plants to eat and better ways to gather and store these plants. Food became so plentiful
that populations increased.
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Social Studies: Ancient Civilizations

The end of the last Ice Age not only changed Europe's climate, but it also allowed
people to develop new culture.

Asia and the Pacific

By 14,000 years ago, people lived along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean
Sea. In this part of southwestern Asia, they spent their summers in the hills, where
it was cooler. In winter, they moved into rock shelters and caves near lakes.
As temperatures warmed, people moved to higher grounds where the soil was
better for wild plants. With grains and nuts in good supply, they began to stay
longer in the same places.
In eastern Asia, populations of people grew in what are now Japan and China.
People living in heavily forested areas used bamboo and wood to make tools.
About 12,000 years ago, people made the first known clay pot in what is now
Japan. They used these containers for carrying water and storing food.
People also lived in the thick forest of southeastern Asia. They used bamboo and
stone to make tools. Sharpened bamboo proved to be good tools and weapon.
Early Asians of southeastern Asia likely settled the southwestern Pacific islands.
They may have done this when ocean levels were low during the last Ice Age.

North America

As different group of early people spread throughout North America, they found a
variety of environments. They learned to adapt to environments that ranged from
deserts to forests.
The Clovis people were one of the first early cultures in North America. They
skillfully made spear points called Clovis points, which they mounted on wooden
shafts.
When they could, Clovis hunters used their spears to kill large Ice Age animals.
These animals, such as mammoths and large bison, would provide meat for weeks
as well as materials for tools, clothing, and tents. Small game and wild plants
were also part of their diet.
About 11,000 years ago, the number of large Ice Age animals began to decrease.
As people adapted to this change, the Clovis culture began to die out.
People in the desert-like areas of North America camped in rock shelters and
caves. They hunted desert animals, such as rabbits, and gathered wild plants.
In what is now Mexico, some people lived in large5 camps when food was
plentiful. To survive, they learned to divide into smaller groups when food was
scarce.

South America
Midterm Examination Review 2014
Social Studies: Ancient Civilizations

In time, people migrated from North America to South America. Some migrated
to the cold ocean coasts at the southern tip of South America. Others adapted to
life high up in the Andes Mountains. Still others moved into the Amazon River.
Along the coastal waters of what is now Peru, early people caught seafood yearround. Using baskets, people could catch thousands of anchovies. They also relied
on plants foods, which grew well in the moisture provided by coastal fogs.
In time, fishing settlements began to grow at the mouths of the coastal rivers near
the Pacific Ocean. Farther inland, people were living i the highlands of the Andes.
In what is today Brazil, archaeologists found evidence of an early settlement
inside in a cave. Located in the rain forest the cave provided shelter for early
people who depended mostly on plants for food for their survival.

Open-Ended Question

What qualities make a good citizen?

Midterm Examination Review 2014

Social Studies: Ancient Civilizations