Key Concept 1.1 Big Geography and the Peopling of the Earth

Imagine what it would be like looking at the surface of the earth from outer space if all you could see were big trends. You perceived no individuals, specific dates or buildings, just the movement of people, the spread of beliefs, groups, technologies and diseases, and the blending of these things when groups came into contact with each other. This perspective is called Big Geography, and it assumes a global view of the world's history. Much of AP World History is Big Geography.

One trend you would see in early human history would be the migration of Paleolithic people throughout the world.

The word Paleolithic, or “old stone age,” refers to a way of life in which stones were the most prominent tools humans used and people led nomadic lives of hunting and gathering for food. Not strictly a time period in history (people today live the nomadic lifestyles of hunter gatherers), it is to be contrasted with agricultural and industrial economic systems and the social patterns emanating from them. Archaeologists have found evidence that these people traveled around in small, foraging bands that were basically egalitarian. Because they had no consistently reliable source of food, they were almost always on the move.

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I. Archeological evidence indicates that during the Paleolithic era, hunting-foraging bands of humans gradually migrated from their origin in East Africa to Eurasia, Australia, and the Americas, adapting their technology and cultures to new climate regions.

A. One of

This map show the migrations of early man from Africa to the other continents.

the first major advances of early man was the ability to harness fire. Fire sterilized food, brought people together in small groups and protected against predators. Moreover, food cooked with fire eased the digestive process. Consequently, more of the body’s energy became available for the development of the brain. This may have helped Homo sapiens develop the capacity for language, giving them a tremendous advantage over other mammals. (See short video on fire and early man.)

B. As you can see from the map on the right, over the course of thousands of years humans migrated from their place of origin across the face of the earth. They moved into areas with vastly different environments, each with their own terms of survival. The peopling of the earth required human beings to adapt to a variety of circumstances. Tools made this possible.

In the Paleolithic era, most tools were made from stones.

Bones, rocks with sharp edges, and small pieces of copper were used to scrape hides, hunt, fish and sew. As these mobile bands came in contact with each other, they borrowed ideas and tools.

C. Foraging, or hunting and gathering, does not produce a large quantity of food. This limitation of the food supply kept foraging people in small groups of only a few people. It also meant that they were nomadic, moving on to a new location once they stripped an area of its edible plants. The study of hunter/gatherers today gives us insight into their social relations. These small groups preferred not to marry in their own societies and would send girls to other foraging groups for marriage. Related by kinship bonds, hunter/gatherer groups would meet to exchange tools and gifts, and to participate in rituals. It was likely there was a movement of people among groups. There was also relative social and gender equality. Men may have taken leadership roles in some groups, but generally everyone was equally involved in the acquisition of food. It was impractical for nomadic people to accumulate more than a few things, so material possessions did not differentiate people into significant categories of wealth or class. Some modern researchers have concluded that paleolithic people had more leisure time, more varied and nutritious diets, and were healthier than those who settled and became farmers.

Key Concept 1.2 The Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies