Ap World History

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AP World History - Stearns
Chapter 1 – From Human Prehistory to the Early Civilizations

I. Introduction
A. Human origin – 2.5 million years ago
1. 1/4000 of earth’s existence – 24 hour day – last 5 minutes
B. Human negatives and positives
1. Aggressiveness, long baby time, back problems, death fears
2. Grip, high/regular sex drive, omnivores, facial expressions, speech
C. Paleolithic (Old Stone) Age – 2.5 million to 12000 BCE
1. Simple tools – increase in size, brain capacity – Homo erectus

II. Late Paleolithic Developments
A. Homo sapiens sapiens – 120,000 years ago – killed off others?
a. Population growth required change – 1 square mile to hunt/gather for 2 people
i. Long breast feeding – limit fertility
ii. Relative gender equality – women harder, but both contributed
b. Rituals for death, explain environment, rules for social behavior
c. Greatest achievement – spread over earth
i. Fire/animal skin
ii. 14,000 Great ice age ended
d. Tools – sharpen animal bones, rafts
e. Domesticated animals
f. Conflicts w/ others – bone breaks/skull fractures
B. Knowledge based on cave paintings, tool remains, burial sites

III. Neolithic (New Stone) Age Revolution
A. Agriculture changed everything – could support more people
1. Settle one spot – focus on economic, political, religious goals
2. 14,000-10,000 BCE – 6 million to 100 million people
B. Causes of Agriculture
1. Population increase – better climate
2. Big game animals decreasing – hunting yield declined
3. Gradual change – harvesting wild grains to planting seeds
C. New animals domesticated – pigs, sheep, goats, cattle
1. Meat, skins, dairy
2. Advantage to Europe?
D. Why Middle East?
1. Water source, fertile area, not forested, lacked animals
E. “Revolution” gradual – many combined changes w/ hunting gathering – 1000 years
F. Effects
1. Longer work week – labor intensive
2. Build houses, villages
3. Varied clothing
G. Resistance... [continues]

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