Western Civilization Notes 9-18-08

Paleolithic Man 2,500,000 – 10,000 B. C.

2 ½ billion years ago the origin of man, some believe the sacred view and some the historian
view.

1859 Charles Darwin wrote the book entitled “The Origin of Species” – the process of
naturalization- “only the strong survive”.

Europeans scholars put others civilizations before Africa. Even though some have found that the
first civilization began in Africa.

In the Paleolithic Age man had to kill what he consumed. Man traveled in bands, which was
headed by a patriarch.
Man was a hunter, gatherer. The woman gathered and was responsible for building fires, taking
care of the children, teaching them about their lives defended against wild animals.

Movie- man discovered fire by accident. Lightning struck a tree, some fire hit a rock, man touch
him and it burned him. H finally realized that it could warm him. He took some animals skins
and placed the fire in them and took it with him. He killed an animal, some fell in the fire and
man tasted it, so that it was good, and used the fire to cook his food.

Columbus found 100 million Native Americans when he landed on what is now North America.

In 1996 the “Ice Man” was found

The Paleolithic man (characteristics)

1. Tools
2. Fire
3. Smart enough to bury his dead and left offering to the dead
4. Used reason to govern his thoughts
5. His thoughts were passed on to his young as folklore
6. He was artistic in that he worked with clay

0.001% of the world today still lives under Paleolithic conditions (the Eskimos, African
Bushmen, and Aborigines)

Neolithic Man (10,000 – 4000 B.C.

Man became less nomatic; he became sedimentary, because he mastered agriculture. He begins
to plant. He began to domestic certain animals (oxen, pigs, cows, and sheep)

Agriculture increased population due to food. Man learned how to store food (corn, wheat,
barley)

A rise of a division of labor – art, basket waving one thing that didn’t change was man’s warlike
nature.
Man was healthier and lived longer than Paleolithic man.

Neolithic Man (characteristics)

1. Systemic Agriculture
2. Towns & cities
3. An economic system – the first – he exchanged goods (barter)
4. Domesticated or tamed animals- bulls, horses, chickens, pigs, cattle, and goats
5. The plow
6. Writing
7. Political organizations

Water is life

Yellow River and Indus - China

Tigris and Euphrates – Mesopotamia
Nile – Egypt
Mississippi – North America
Tiger- Rome
Agen Sea – Greece
Niger - African