CREATED BY T.

TARFA MOHAMMAD

UNIT 1

EARLY HISTORY
AND CIVILIZATION
PREHISTORY
prehistory refers to a time before people started writing
things down. So, you might wonder how we know about what
happened in the past during that time. Well, since there were
no written records, historians and researchers rely on other
types of evidence to understand our early history. They look
at things like ancient artifacts and bones, which are studied by
archaeologists and anthropologists. Based on this
information, they make educated guesses, called postulates,
about what life was like in the past.
ARCHEOLOGY AND
ANTHROPOLOGY
Archeology :
is the study of past lives through the
assumptions of what people have left behind.

Anthropology :
the study of how people live and the different
ways they do things. It focuses on things like what
people wear, how they organize their society, and
what they believe is right or wrong. All of these
things together make up their culture.
 ARCHEOLOGY AND
ANTHROPOLOGY
artifacts Archaeologists are like detectives who study objects from the past to learn about
how people lived, what they made, and how they interacted with their
environment. They can study a wide range of artifacts, from artwork to buildings,
to understand different aspects of past societies.

Anthropologists, on the other hand, use artifacts and the remains of ancient
weapons
humans, called fossils, to understand how people lived in their everyday lives.
Fossils are like rock-like remains from plants and animals that lived long ago. By
studying these fossils, anthropologists can get a better understanding of our
ancestors and how they lived.

Both archaeologists and anthropologists have their own scientific methods, and
fossils they search for sites or carefully dig up land to find important clues about the
past. They study early human life in different parts of the world, such as Africa,
Europe, and Asia, to gain insights into our ancestors and their way of life.
EVIDENCE
When archaeologists and anthropologists search for human fossils or artifacts,
they do it in different places all over the world. Archaeologists specifically look for
fossil remains of early humans, which can include ancient cities and burial sites.
By uncovering these remains, they can work together with anthropologists to
study and understand ancient societies better.

To determine the age of these artifacts and fossils, scientists use a method called
object dating, which can give an estimate up to 50,000 years. In the past, scientists
used other methods for objects dating back even further. One method was
thermoluminescence, which involves heating certain crystalline materials to
measure the light they emit. Another method was analyzing DNA, the genetic
material in humans and other organisms, which provided information about
human evolution. Additionally, studying the ancestors of plants helped in
understanding the history of farming.

Overall, these methods and studies help researchers gather evidence and gain a
deeper understanding of ancient societies and how they evolved over time.
THE PALEOLITHIC ERA

The Paleolithic Era, also known as the old stone age, was a time in human history
that happened many hundreds of thousands of years ago. During this time,
people relied on simple tools made of stone. They would hunt animals like
buffalo, horses, and bison for food, and they would also gather nuts, berries, and
fruits. To be successful at hunting, they would pay close attention to when
animals moved and when plants grew.

The people of the Paleolithic Era were called nomads because they would move
from one place to another to find food and survive. Men and women both played
important roles in finding food and taking care of the group. They were
considered equal and made decisions together.

Overall, the Paleolithic Era was a time when people lived by hunting and
gathering, using simple stone tools, and moving around to find food.
USE OF STONES

Early humans used a special kind of hard stone called flint.

They would sharpen the edges of flint stones to make
pointed tools, like hand axes. As time went on, they got
better at making tools and invented new ones like the bow
and arrow, harpoons, and fishhooks. These tools helped
them with hunting and fishing, making it easier to catch
animals and get food.
USE OF FIRE

People in the Paleolithic Era discovered how to use fire. They

used it for cooking their food and keeping warm, especially
when they moved to colder areas. Fire also helped them stay
safe because it kept wild animals away. During the Ice Age, when
large areas were covered in ice, fire was even more important
because it provided heat and helped them survive in those cold
conditions.
ART

People in the Paleolithic Era were creative and had their own
culture. They made realistic paintings of big animals like lions,
oxen, and owls. They made these paintings by mixing different
minerals and fat to create different colors. They would then use
these colors to paint on cave walls and other surfaces. Their
paintings showed their knowledge and appreciation of the
animals around them.
Q 1. IF WRITTEN RECORDS WERE NOT AVAILABLE IN
PREHISTORY, HOW DID PEOPLE DISCOVER ANNOUT
THE OLD AGES?

They relied on different sources of evidence such as

archaeological artifacts, fossils
 Q 2. HOW DOES THE THE WORK OF
ARCHAEOLOGISTS AND ANTHROPOLOGISTS DIFFER?

archaeologists dig in the ground to find and study old objects, while
anthropologists study living and past societies to understand their customs and
ways of life.
Q 3. WHAT DOES THE TERM BAND SOCIETY REFERS TO?

a small group of people who live together, move around, and work together to
survive by hunting and gathering.
Q 4. WHAT WAS THE PALEOLITHIC ERA AND WHAT WERE
ITS SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS?

the Paleolithic Era was a time when early humans lived by hunting animals and
gathering plants. They used stone tools and fire, and they started to communicate
with each other using spoken language. It was a time of exploration and survival.
Q 4. WHAT MEANS DID PEOPLE DURING THIS ERA USE IN
ORDER TO SURVIVE?

1. Hunting and gathering

2. Fire
3. Migration
4. Shelter
5. Social cooperation