History- Prehistoric Man

Clothing

Animal skins were used for warmth and protection. Fat was funded into the skins to make them softer. First the skin was wrapped around them, but then they learned how to fasten them together. With this new clothing they could survive longer.

Language

Before they learned to talk, early people simply made sounds or pointed to objects. They also used hand signals.

Migration

Climate changed, the earth grew colder forming huge glaciers that spread from the North to the South Pole. Land bridges connected Africa to both Southern Europe and south Western Asia. 40,000-15,00 years ago people would begin to migrate to the America's.

Homo Sapien Neanderthalensis- Neanderthal

Discovered in 1856, they were the first type in the 4th hominid group known as Homo Sapiens. They lived from 200,00 to 28,00 years ago and were discovered in Europe, Africa and western Asia. They hunted in organized groups and created the first types of communities. Although they were shorter and stockier, Neanderthals were stronger than most modern humans and used their large brains to invent over 60 different types of tools. By using rock flakes they were able to make knives, spear points and scrapers. It is believed that they lived side by side (with) early modern humans for 10,000 years. This version of Homo Sapien did not survive.

Shelter

Early hominids lived outdoors and did not create or seek shelter. Eventually they started to use bone, sticks and animal skins. Later hominids would use earth and stones. Caves would be used for shelter but not forever. They would use caves to avoid bad weather or animal attacks.

Fire

Fires were naturally created by lightning. Hominids used sticks and stones to create fires. Fire was used to keep them warm, dry and as a weapon against animals. Hominids used fire to cook food because cooked food helped them with digestion and made it easier to chew. It was used to clear out undergrowth and bushes.

Tools

First they used simple rocks and sticks to beat animals. Eventually they shaped stones to make them more useful. Early shaped tools were called Olduvan pebble tools. Rocks were about the size of fists. They would bang them together to make them sharper. They used the flakes of the rock to make a skewer or digging stick. AS time went by, tools became stronger.

Home Erectus- Upright Man

Homo Erectus lived from 1.8-200,000 B.C.E (Before common Era). It is believed that this is the first group to migrate, or move, out of Africa. Remains of this hominid have been found in Asia and Europe. Like Homo Habilis, Upright man had a larger brain and invented tools. Tools were improved and included stone axes and weapons, shelters and fires. It is believed that they were the first to cook their food. They were taller thinner, good walkers and runner with strong bones. While they looked more like modern humans, they still had a ridge on their forehead and a jaw that stuck out with a thick skull.

Homo Sapien Sapiens

Homo Sapien Sapiens or "Doubly wise man" was also known as Cro-Magnon man(earliest version). They first appeared 150,000 years ago in Africa but soon migrated all over the world, including North and South America. They looked more like us with large skulls, a large brain, small teeth and slender bones. They were not as good as adapting to the cold as Neanderthals but they had better tools, clothes and shelters, which is why they survived. They were more advanced and could engrave, sculpt and sew clothes. They built shelters from stone and earth instead of sticks. They created the canoe. One of their greatest inventions was artwork. They created sculptures and instruments.Paintings were used to express religious purposes. They also learned to speak.

Australopithecus Afarensis- Lucy

Lived in Africa 3-4 million years ago. Lucy was able to walk on two feet which was an advantage over other animals. Their brain was 1/3 the size of the brains we have today. There have been no tools found made by them and they likely could not speak. They had mostly ape features. They were 3-4 feet tall with long arms but hands and feet were similar to ours today. Large head with a forehead and jaw that stuck out from their face. Lucy was the earliest human form.

Homonids

There are 5 different types of "people" in this time period. For over four million years we have developed and changed to who we are today.

Homo Habilis- Handy Man

They live 1.5-2 million years ago. They had both human and ape features, but were different from Lucy in several ways. Homo Habilis lived in and traveled in groups for protection and hunting. The larger brains and the use of tools helped this group live longer and survive animal attacks. Tools were simple and included bones and little rocks. Discover by Louis and Mary Leakey.