Early Man

The “Early Man” chapter! It sounds like you’ve got a solid grasp of the timeline and the major shifts that occurred.

Imagine the story unfolding like this: the chapter likely begins by painting a picture of our very distant ancestors, hinting at their connection to ape-like creatures and how, over vast stretches of time, they gradually transformed. A crucial point it probably makes is that these early humans weren’t settled; they were constantly on the move, following the availability of food and seeking safe places to rest.

Then, the chapter likely takes a deep dive into the Stone Age, breaking it down into three significant phases. First comes the Paleolithic, or Old Stone Age. Here, the focus would be on these early people as skilled hunters and gatherers, relying on roughly shaped stones for their tools – essential for survival, whether for bringing down animals or protecting themselves. The incredible discovery of fire and their lives in caves or simple shelters would also be key aspects. The chapter would likely emphasize their complete dependence on the natural world for sustenance.

Next, the Mesolithic, or Middle Stone Age, would be presented as a bridge, a time of change. As the climate shifted, so did their way of life. The tools they used became more refined, smaller and sharper, and there might have been the very beginnings of animal taming and perhaps even the first steps towards farming.

The Neolithic, or New Stone Age, would then be highlighted as a truly revolutionary period. This is when humans transitioned to a settled existence, learning to cultivate the land and raise animals. This “Neolithic Revolution” brought about permanent homes and the remarkable inventions of the wheel for easier transport, pottery for storage and cooking, and weaving for clothing.

Finally, the chapter would likely move on to the age of metals – the Copper, Bronze, and Iron Ages. It would explain how the discovery and use of these materials brought about another wave of progress, leading to stronger tools and weapons, and ultimately paving the way for the rise of more complex societies and civilizations.

Essentially, the chapter “Early Man” probably unfolds as a chronological adventure through prehistoric times, spotlighting the critical stages of human development, the ingenious tools and technologies they developed, and the fundamental shift from a wandering existence to settled communities. It underscores how early humans cleverly adapted to their surroundings and laid the groundwork for everything that came after.

Exercise

I. Fill in the blanks:

1. The system of exchanging things is known as———— .

Ans : Barter

2. Early man was a———- , but later he led a ———– .

Ans : Nomad , settled life

3. Instead of killing ——— man ———– them and used them as means of transport.

Ans : Animals , domesticated

4. Man started worshiping ————– out of fear.

Ans : Natural forces/gods

II. Write True or False against the following statements:

1. The Old Stone Age lasted from 100,000 BC to 8,000
   Ans : False
2. Early Man always lived close to rivers.
   Ans : True
3. The discovery of fire was a pure coincidence.
   Ans :  True
4. Fire helped man in making better tools.
   Ans : False
5. Man started making shorter and tinier tools called ‘Microliths’ in the Neolithic Age.
   Ans : False
6. The New Stone Age is known for the discovery of agriculture and invention of the wheel.
   Ans : True
7. The invention of the wheel made transportation easier and faster.
   Ans : True
8. Primitive men believed in life after death.
   Ans : True

III. Answer the following questions briefly:

Question 1.
When did modern man appear on the earth?
Answer:Modern humans, scientifically known as Homo sapiens, appeared on Earth relatively recently in the grand scheme of geological time. The earliest fossil evidence of our species dates back to around 300,000 years ago in Africa. These early Homo sapiens gradually developed the characteristics we associate with modern humans.

Question 2.
Name the three periods of the prehistoric time.
Answer:The Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic Ages are indeed the big three in prehistory. They’re mainly distinguished by the stone tools early humans made and how they lived – starting as wandering hunter-gatherers and eventually settling down to farm

Question 3.
How did early man dress himself in the Stone Age?
Answer:Early humans during the Stone Age relied heavily on readily available natural resources for clothing. Animal skins were a primary choice, offering more substantial protection against the cold and elements. For simpler coverings, they also utilized tree bark and large leaves.  These materials, though basic, served the essential purpose of providing some level of shelter and warmth.

Question 4.
Which discoveries changed the life of Early Man ?
Answer:.The discoveries of fire and the development of agriculture fundamentally changed the life of Early Man. Fire provided warmth, protection, and cooked food, while agriculture led to settled living, a reliable food source, and the eventual development of communities

Question 5.
How were the tools of the New Stone Age different from those of the Old Stone Age ?
Answer:New Stone Age tools were much more advanced than Old Stone Age tools. In the Old Stone Age, tools were rough and unpolished, mainly used for basic tasks like chopping and scraping. But in the New Stone Age, people learned to grind and polish stones, making tools sharper and more efficient.  They also developed new tools specifically for farming, like sickles and ploughs, showing a big step forward in their way of life

Question 6.
Describe the main features of the Neolithic Age ?
Answer:The big game-changer in the Neolithic Age was the start of farming.  People learned to grow their own food, so they didn’t have to keep moving around to find it. This led to them settling down in one place and building permanent homes. With settled life came the domestication of animals like sheep, goats, and cattle.  Folks also got skilled at making better, polished stone tools for farming and other tasks. This era also saw the important inventions of pottery for storing food and water, and weaving for making clothes. In short, the Neolithic Age was all about settled life, farming, animals, and new handy skills and tools!

Question 7.
How did the invention of the wheel change the life of early man?
Answer:It made transporting goods and people much easier and faster. Instead of carrying everything by hand, they could use carts pulled by animals. This likely led to increased trade and communication between different settlements. The wheel also played a crucial role in the development of pottery making, leading to stronger and more uniform vessels for storage and cooking. 

Question 8.
Trace the development of early man from being a food gatherer to a food producer.
Answer:Early humans started as food gatherers, simply collecting what nature provided – fruits, nuts, roots, and hunting wild animals. They were nomads, constantly on the move following food sources.  

Over time, they began to observe their environment more closely. They likely noticed that seeds dropped on the ground would sprout into new plants. This observation led to the crucial discovery of cultivation. Instead of just gathering, they started planting seeds and tending to them, eventually learning how to grow their own food.   

This shift from relying solely on gathering and hunting to cultivating land and raising animals marked a monumental change. It allowed early humans to settle in one place, leading to the development of villages and a more stable food supply. This transition from food gatherer to food producer was a gradual but revolutionary process that fundamentally changed human society and laid the groundwork for future civilizations.

Additional Questions

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. 1. In the earliest stages of physical development, humans walked on all ———— .

Ans : four

2. In earliest times humans lived in ———— and———–.

Ans : caves ,  other natural shelters

3. The Old Stone Age humans made stone tools such as hammers, ———— and ————- . 

Ans : scrapers , axe-heads

4. Early humans did not know how to grow crops. They were ——— and ————-

Ans : hunters , food gatherers

5. To protect themselves from wild animals early humans began to form——–.

Ans : small groups

6. Primitive humans painted pictures of ————- and ———– on cave walls.

Ans : animals , hunting scenes

7. The greatest achievement of early humans was the discovery of ————.

Ans : fire

8. The stone tools of the Neolithic Age were ————- and————.

Ans : well-shaped , polished

9. Neolithic humans domesticated ——– , ——— ,——and———–.

Ans : dogs, goats, sheep & cattle

10. The invention of the ———– was a major milestone in the evolution of the civilized human.

Ans : wheel

11. The system of exchanging services and goods is known as the ———- system.

Ans : Barter

12. ———- and ————- tools were used during the Chalcolithic Age.

Ans : Copper & stone

B. Match the following
                            A                                            B

Answer:

C. Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
Describe the life of prehistoric humans in the earliest times.
Answer: when early humans were wanderers, always on the move to find their next meal. They hunted animals and gathered whatever edible plants they could find. Life was simple but tough. They used basic rocks as tools and for safety.  Home was wherever they could find shelter – maybe a cave or a quick hut made of branches and animal hides. It was a constant fight to stay alive against the wild and the harsh environment

Question 2.
Name the periods into which the Stone Ages can be broadly divided.
Answer:the Stone Age, a vast stretch of early human history characterized by the widespread use of stone for making tools, can be broadly divided into three main periods. Think of it like chapters in a long story, each marking significant steps in our ancestors’ development. These periods are:  

• The Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age): This is the earliest and longest phase, stretching back millions of years. During this time, early humans were primarily hunter-gatherers, constantly on the move in search of food. Their tools were mostly crude and unpolished, made by simply striking one stone against another.  
• The Mesolithic Age (Middle Stone Age): This period served as a transition between the Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages. As the climate began to change, new ways of life emerged. Tools became smaller and more refined, often composite tools made of stone and other materials like wood or bone.  
• The Neolithic Age (New Stone Age): It’s characterized by the development of agriculture and the domestication of animals. People started to settle down in one place, leading to the growth of villages. Tools became more sophisticated, often polished for a sharper edge and greater efficiency. New technologies like pottery and weaving also emerged during this time.

Question 3.
Describe the tools made by humans in the Palaeolithic Age. What purposes did these tools serve?
Answer:During the Paleolithic Age, early humans crafted simple tools mainly from stone. ¹ These were often large and rough, like hand axes, choppers, and scrapers. They would strike one stone against another to create a sharp edge. These basic tools served essential purposes for survival: hunting animals for food, cutting meat and animal hides, cracking open bones for marrow, and scraping hides for clothing and shelter. ²

Question 4.
What did the people of the Old Stone Age eat?
Answer:You’re absolutely right! Life for the people of the Old Stone Age revolved around the daily quest for survival, and their meals were a direct reflection of their environment and skills as hunter-gatherers. Imagine their days spent tracking herds of deer or bison across the landscape, their hearts pounding with the thrill and necessity of the hunt. Success meant precious meat, providing essential protein and energy for their nomadic lives.

Those who settled near rivers and lakes would have undoubtedly relied on the bounty of the waters. Picture them skillfully using early tools to catch fish, adding another vital source of nourishment to their diet.

Beyond the hunt, their keen eyes would have scanned the natural world for edible treasures. Think of them carefully identifying ripe berries hanging from bushes, patiently gathering nuts that had fallen from trees, and painstakingly digging for nutritious roots and tubers hidden beneath the soil. Even the discovery of a nest filled with wild bird eggs would have been a valuable find.

It’s important to remember that their menu wasn’t fixed. The changing seasons dramatically influenced what was available. In the spring and summer, fruits and berries would have been more plentiful, while the colder months might have meant a greater reliance on hunting and preserved foods, if they had developed such techniques. Those living in forested areas would have had access to different plants and animals than those inhabiting open grasslands or coastal regions.

Without the ability to cultivate crops or raise livestock, every meal was a direct gift from nature, a testament to their resourcefulness and intimate knowledge of the world around them. Their survival depended entirely on their ability to observe, adapt, and skillfully utilize the resources that the land offered.

Question 5.
Where did early humans live? What did they wear?
Answer:Early humans initially sought shelter in natural formations like caves and sometimes amongst the branches of trees. These provided protection from the elements and wild animals. As they became more mobile, they likely also used temporary shelters made from branches and leaves.  

In the very early stages, it’s believed that early humans did not wear clothes. However, as they moved to colder climates and developed more skills, they started using animal skins to cover themselves for warmth and protection. They would have used simple methods to prepare these skins and might have later learned to stitch them together using bone needles and animal sinew to create more fitted garments. In warmer regions, they might have used woven grass or bark for simple coverings.

Question 6.
How do we know that early humans were skillful artists?
Answer:Early humans left behind remarkable art in caves and on rock surfaces. ¹ These cave paintings and engravings often depict animals with surprising detail and a sense of movement, showing a keen observation of nature and skillful execution. ² The use of natural pigments to create vibrant colors and the techniques employed to apply them demonstrate artistic ability. ³ These artworks weren’t just random scribbles; they suggest a developed skill in representing their world visually.

Question 7.
How did early humans discover fire? How did this discovery help them?
Answer:Imagine those early humans, used to the cold and the raw. Then, BAM! A flash, a crackle, and suddenly, warmth radiates from a burning tree. It wasn’t just warmth; it was safety from predators lurking in the dark, and the incredible ability to make their food easier to digest and safer to eat. That single event must have been mind-blowing, a real game-changer that fundamentally altered their daily routines and dramatically boosted their odds of survival. It’s like unlocking a superpower!

Question 8.
What important changes took place in the life style of humans in the New Stone Age?
Answer:Life got a whole lot more settled in the New Stone Age! Instead of constantly moving around, people started farming and staying put in one place. ¹. ² They also got better at making things, inventing pottery to store food and weaving to make clothes. Plus, they learned to domesticate animals, which gave them a steady supply of food and helped with work. ³ So, it was a big shift towards a more stable and organized way of life. ⁴

Question 9.
Discuss two important occupations of humans in the New Stone Age.
Answer:Two really big changes happened in the New Stone Age that became important jobs for people:

1. Farming: Instead of just finding food, people learned how to grow their own! This meant clearing land, planting seeds, and taking care of crops like wheat and barley. This job became super important because it meant people had a more steady supply of food and could settle down in one place.  
2. Herding Animals: People also started keeping animals like sheep, goats, and cattle. This wasn’t just about hunting them; it was about caring for them, getting milk and wool, and eventually using them for work. This job provided another reliable source of food and other useful things, making life much more secure

Question 10.
How did the invention of the wheel transform the life of the people in the Neolithic Age?
Answer:The invention of the wheel was a game-changer in the Neolithic Age! ¹ Suddenly, moving heavy things became much easier and faster. People could build stronger carts to transport goods, travel longer distances, and even improve farming by using wheeled plows. ² This made life less physically demanding and opened up new possibilities for trade and communication between settlements. It was a truly revolutionary invention!

Question 11.
Why did early humans make pots? How did the invention of the potter’s wheel affect the art of pottery making?
Answer:Early humans started making pots mainly to store things like water, grains, and cooked food. Before pots, it was much harder to keep these safe and carry them around.  

The invention of the potter’s wheel was a game-changer for pottery. It made it much easier and faster to shape clay into round and even pots. This meant they could make more pots in less time and with better quality and consistency than shaping them by hand. It truly revolutionized the art of pottery making.

Question 12.
‘Agriculture and domestication of animals brought dramatic changes in humans’. Explain.
Answer:You’ve nailed the big picture! The shift to agriculture and animal domestication was truly transformative. It allowed nomadic hunter-gatherer groups to settle down, leading to more stable food sources and the rise of permanent villages. ¹ This newfound stability paved the way for population growth, specialized labor, and the eventual development of complex societies and technologies. It’s like the foundation upon which much of human civilization was built

Question 13.
Write short notes on the following:
1. The barter system
2.Social life during the Neolithic Age
Answer:1. The Barter System

Imagine a world without coins or paper money! That’s how the barter system worked. It was a method of trade where people directly exchanged goods or services for other goods or services they needed. For instance, a farmer might trade a sack of wheat for a potter’s clay pots. Finding someone who had what you wanted and also wanted what you had (a “double coincidence of wants”) could be difficult. Determining the fair value of different items was another challenge – how many chickens equal a cow? Despite these drawbacks, the barter system was a fundamental step in the development of trade and economic activity in early human history.  

2. Social Life During the Neolithic Age

The Neolithic Age, often called the New Stone Age, marked a significant shift in how humans lived. With the development of agriculture and the domestication of animals, people transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled agricultural communities. This led to more permanent villages and the beginnings of social organization. Larger groups lived together, likely with developing social hierarchies and some division of labor based on skills or family ties. Evidence suggests the emergence of communal rituals and beliefs, possibly related to agricultural cycles and fertility. Burial practices became more elaborate, hinting at concepts of afterlife and ancestor veneration. While not as complex as later societies, the Neolithic Age laid the groundwork for more intricate social structures and community life

Question 14.
Mention the chief features of the Chalcolithic Age.
Answer: Here are some of its main features:

• Use of Copper: People began using copper for tools and weapons, though stone tools were still common.
• Farming and Herding: They practiced agriculture and also raised animals like cattle, sheep, and goats.
• Settlements: People lived in villages, often near rivers.
• Pottery: This age is known for its distinctive painted pottery.
• Burial Practices: There were different ways of burying the dead, sometimes with pottery and copper objects.

D. State whether the following are true or false.

1. The humans of the Old Stone Age were hunters and food gatherers.
   Ans : True.
2. Fire was discovered in the Neolithic Age.
   Ans : False
3. The Neolithic humans used digging sticks and stone sickles.
   Ans : True
4. Humans did not know spinning and weaving in the New Stone Age.
   Ans : False
5. Copper is harder and stronger than bronze.
   Ans : False

E. Picture study.

The picture below shows some stone implements.

1. To which prehistoric age do these implements belong?
   Ans. Based on the image, the stone implements appear to be from the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) period. The tools are relatively large and roughly shaped, which is characteristic of Paleolithic tools. These tools typically include cores, flakes, and choppers.

2. How are these implements different from those belonging to the previous age?
   Ans. The stone implements you showed are from the Paleolithic Age, the earliest phase of the Stone Age. Compared to tools from the Mesolithic Age (the period that followed), these Paleolithic tools are generally:

• Larger and cruder: Paleolithic tools were often made by simply striking one stone against another to create a sharp edge. They tend to be less refined in shape and size. The tools in the picture show these characteristics.
• Less specialized: While some specialized tools like handaxes existed in the later Paleolithic, early Paleolithic toolkits were less diverse.
• Made using simpler techniques: Paleolithic toolmaking primarily involved direct percussion (hitting one stone with another). The Mesolithic period saw the development of more sophisticated techniques like the creation of microliths – small, precisely shaped stone pieces that were often combined to make composite tools like arrows or sickles. ¹ You don’t see this level of small, refined components in the Paleolithic implements.

3. What purpose did these tools serve?
   Ans. These Paleolithic tools, with their sharp edges and sturdy forms, likely served a variety of essential purposes for early humans. ¹ Imagine the daily challenges of survival:  

Butchering animals: The sharp flakes and edges would have been crucial for cutting through hides, separating meat from bone, and processing animal carcasses for food.

• Processing plants: These tools could have been used for scraping bark, cutting tough plant fibers, or preparing edible plants.
• Woodworking: While not as refined as later tools, these could have been used for shaping wood, perhaps for creating simple shelters, digging sticks, or handles for other tools.
• Defense: Although not primarily weapons in the modern sense, larger, sharper stones could have been used for protection against predators.
• Breaking bones: The heavier, more robust pieces could have been used to crack open bones to access the nutritious marrow inside.

4. Mention five important changes that took place in the lifestyle of humans of this period.
   Ans.During the Paleolithic period, significant shifts occurred in human lifestyle as our ancestors adapted and evolved. Here are five important changes:

1. Development of Stone Tools: This was a defining characteristic. Humans began crafting increasingly sophisticated stone tools, like the ones we discussed, which revolutionized hunting, processing food, and other essential tasks.
2. Hunter-Gatherer Existence: Paleolithic humans primarily lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers, constantly moving to follow animal migrations and the availability of wild plants
3. Emergence of Early Social Structures: Living in small, mobile groups fostered cooperation and the development of early social bonds and communication, likely including the beginnings of language.
4. Early Forms of Art and Symbolic Thought: Towards the later Paleolithic, evidence of early art, such as cave paintings and portable figurines, suggests the development of symbolic thinking and possibly ritualistic practices. This marked a significant cognitive leap.