Name Date Class

CHAPTER 3

Early Humans and the Agricultural

Revolution

Chapter Overview CHAPTER

BENCHMARKS
SS.6.G.1.4 Utilize tools geographers
Human history began during the Stone Age, so-called use to study the world.
because humans first used stones as tools. The earliest SS.6.G.3.1 Explain how the physical
part of this period was the Paleolithic Age. This age began landscape has affected the
development of agriculture and
about 2.5 million years ago. During that time, people relied industry in the ancient world.
on hunting and gathering for food. They traveled in small SS.6.G.3.2 Analyze the impact of
groups, everyone working together to survive. They used human populations on the ancient
world’s ecosystems.
simple tools. Over time, they made more complex tools.
SS.6.G.4.1 Explain how family and
With the discovery of fire, Paleolithic people could control ethnic relationships influenced ancient
cultures.
light and warmth and could cook their food. People also
SS.6.G.4.2 Use maps to trace
began to communicate through sounds, gestures, and significant migrations, and analyze
even art. Then the ice ages began and threatened human their results.
life. People migrated and settled in different locations. SS.6.G.4.3 Locate sites in Africa and
Asia where archaeologists have found
They adapted to a changing environment. evidence of early human societies,
and trace their migration patterns to
After the most recent Ice Age, the climate warmed and other parts of the world.
people began staying in one place. This was the beginning SS.6.E.1.2 Describe and identify
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

of the Neolithic Age. It brought about a change from traditional and command economies
as they appear in different civilizations.
hunting and gathering that led to the Agricultural
Revolution. People began farming, settled in villages, and
built homes. Communities formed. People began to do jobs
other than looking for or growing food. They made more
technological discoveries that led to the Bronze Age. Then
civilizations developed in river valleys. They built cities,
formed governments, and had religions, writing, and art.

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

Bronze Age Western Hemisphere
TERMS Mexico
Paleolithic Age monarchy
Central America
nomad
PEOPLE, PLACES, EVENTS Europe
technology India
Agricultural Revolution
ice age Jericho
Southwest Asia
domesticate Çatalhüyük
Nile Valley
Neolithic Age Western Asia
Egypt
systematic agriculture
Nile River
shrine
China
specialization
  65
CHAPTER 3

Early Humans and the Agricultural

Revolution
CHAPTER BENCHMARKS, continued
SS.6.E.2.1 Evaluate how civilizations SS.6.W.2.2 Describe how the LAFS.68.RH.1.1 Cite specific textual
through clans, leaders, and family groups developments of agriculture and evidence to support analysis of
make economic decisions for that metallurgy related to settlement, primary and secondary sources.
civilization providing a framework for population growth, and the
future city-state or nation development. emergence of civilization. LAFS.68.RH.1.2 Determine the
central ideas or information of a
SS.6.W.1.1 Use timelines to identify SS.6.W.2.3 Identify the primary or secondary source; provide
chronological order of historical events. characteristics of civilization. an accurate summary of the source
distinct from prior knowledge or
SS.6.W.2.1 Compare the lifestyles of SS.6.W.2.4 Compare the economic, opinions.
hunter-gatherers with those of settlers political, social, and religious
of early agricultural communities. institutions of ancient river civilizations.

Early Humans and the First FirstasYears

First

Agricultural Revolution
a Political

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Presidency Nation
Parties
ns
atio
Cre

Create this like a smallConflicts

book. Label the front
8000 b.c. to 2000 b.c. Open the Foldable and label the top of the two
inside sections Early Humans and Agricultural Revolution. On the left
Co
mp
ro m

side of your book, sequence key events during the Paleolithic Era. On
ises

the right side, sequence events in the Neolithic Era, including the
Agricultural Revolution. On the back of the folded book, explain how
and why these eras have changed over time.
Step 1 FOLDABLE 06.ai
Step 2
Arrange a piece of paper
horizontally and fold in half
FOLDABLE 06.ai
Label the inside of your
booklet as shown.
from left to right.
Early the Agricultural
Humans Revolution
Early the Agricultural
8000 B.C Humans Revolution
8000 B.C 2000 B.C
s Tr M
2000 B.C Triangle apeoznokidesylike
s Tr M
Triangle apeoznokidesylike

A
66 WORLD HISTORY ow
What I kn
WhatWhtoat I need
ow WhatWhtoat I need
I kno
to knneed w
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A
What I kn I kno
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 Name Date Class

LESSON 1 SUMMARY
Hunter-Gatherers

SS.6.G.4.1, SS.6.G.4.2, SS.6.G.4.3, SS.6.E.2.1, SS.6.W.2.1

1. SPECULATING
The Paleolithic Age Without roads, maps, or the
The earliest period in human history is called the Stone Age. tools people have today, small
This was the time in which humans used stone to make tools groups of nomads moved from
and weapons. The first part of The Stone Age is called the place to place in search of
Paleolithic Age. It began about 2.5 million years ago and food. Why might these groups
ended around 8000 b.c. The word paleolithic means “old migrate to different regions?
stone” in Greek. The Paleolithic Age is also referred to as the Speculate about specific
Old Stone Age. reasons for these early
migrations.
Much of what people know about early human history comes
from findings made by anthropologists and archaeologists, or
people who study humans, human culture, and human
artifacts. These findings include evidence from different ages
in the period of time before there was recorded time, or
before people invented writing. The Paleolithic Age was about
4,500 years before recorded time. Recorded time began
about 5,500 years ago.

Surviving in the Paleolithic Age

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Humans lived near the end of the Paleolithic Age. These

people were nomads. Nomads regularly move from place to
place to survive. Usually, about 20 or 30 people lived together
in small bands, or groups. They moved in search of food.
For Paleolithic people, searching for food was the main activity,
but it was not easy. They survived by hunting and by gathering
food. Based on where they lived, these people may have
hunted buffalo, bison, wild goats, reindeer, or other animals. The
people who lived near coastal areas relied on fish for food. Early
people gathered wild nuts, berries, fruits, wild grains, and green
plants. They had to figure out which plants were safe to eat.
Most historians think that early humans traveled out of Africa
to other continents in a migration. A migration is a movement
of people in search of food and better living conditions.

Finding Food
Men and women in Paleolithic groups had different roles and
tasks to perform. Men hunted large animals. This search often
led them far from their camps. The men did not always know
how animals acted or the best way to hunt for them. So they
had to develop ways to track the animals.

WORLD HISTORY  67
Name Date Class

LESSON 1 SUMMARY, continued

2. CITING TEXT EVIDENCE

Underline the details that tell
what some scientists believe
about the relationship between
Paleolithic men and women.
Then explain why you think
scientists might believe this.

Nomads were dependent on hunting animals for their survival.

These early hunters also had to come up with ways to kill the
animals. Some used clubs. Some led the animals to cliffs and
drove them off to kill them. Paleolithic people soon learned

©NPS photo
that it would be easier to hunt and catch their prey by using
tools. Over time, they developed tools and weapons to help
them hunt. They made traps and spears, which greatly
increased their chances of killing prey.
Women stayed close to the camp. Usually, camps were

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

located near a body of water such as a stream. Women too
had important work. They cared for the children, and they also
searched nearby woods and meadows for berries, nuts, and
3. DRAWING grains. All early people had the same goal: to find food.
CONCLUSIONS Some scientists believe that Paleolithic men and women had
What can you conclude about an equal relationship and both made decisions that affected
life for Paleolithic people if men the group. Some evidence has been found to indicate that
and women hunted together? some men and women may have hunted together in pairs to
find food for themselves and their children. These groupings
were the first families.

The Invention of Tools

The methods, or ways, used by Paleolithic people to hunt
and gather food were part of their culture. The word culture
means the way of life for a group of people who share similar
beliefs and customs. The tools they used were apart of their
culture, too.
Paleolithic people used technology, or tools and methods
developed from scientific knowledge, to perform tasks. Before
the Paleolithic Age, tools were found objects, such as stones,
sticks, and tree branches. Then people started making tools
from a hard stone called flint. Paleolithic people experimented

68 WORLD HISTORY
 Name Date Class

LESSON 1 SUMMARY, continued

with flint, finding that if they hit flint with another hard stone,
4. MAKING INFERENCES
the flint would flake into pieces. Once chipped, these flint
stones had very sharp edges. They could be used for cutting. Thinking as a historian, what
Large pieces of flint tied to wooden poles were used as hand inference might you make from
axes. Flint technology was a major breakthrough for early analyzing the tools Paleolithic
people because it gave them a method for cutting. people made? Support your
inference with evidence from
People did not stop with stone tools. They made better and more
the lesson.
complex tools, which helped them do other things. For example,
spears and bows and arrows made it easier to kill large animals.
Harpoons and fishhooks made it possible for coastal dwellers to
catch more fish.
Early humans also used sharp-edged tools to dig roots and cut
up plants. They cleaned animal hides with scraping tools so they
were able to use the hides for clothing and shelter.
Paleolithic people got better and better at making tools. and
the tools became smaller and sharper. Needles were made
from animal bones so people could make nets and baskets
as well as sew hides together for clothing. These advances
in early technology led to the development of farming tools
and affected where people settled.

Changing to Survive
Some Paleolithic people lived where the climate was cold.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

They used materials that were available to them and made

clothing from animal skins to stay warm so they could surviive.
They found protection in natural shelters, such as caves and
rock overhangs.
Over time, they learned to build their own shelters. They
constructed tents and huts of animal skins, brush, and wood. 5. ANALYZING
People made shelter from ice and snow if the climate was INFORMATION
very cold. Identify how early tools were
If wood was not available, people used large bones used by Paleolithic people in
from woolly mammoths to build frames for shelter. Woolly the space below each tool.
mammoths were hairy, elephant-like animals. People bows and arrows:
used the large bones from dead woolly mammoths and
covered them with animal hides.
For people who lived in warmer climates, little clothing or harpoons and fishhooks:
shelter was needed. To be safe and comfortable, people
generally lived in caves and huts, where they were safe from
attacks by large animals.
needles:

WORLD HISTORY  69
Name Date Class

LESSON 1 SUMMARY, continued

6. PREDICTING Fire Sparks Changes

CONSEQUENCES
Paleolithic people had an easier life once they discovered
The discovery of fire had many how to make fire. Fire changed their lives. Uses people found
benefits for Paleolithic people. for fire included:
How might this discovery have
• for warmth in cold caves
changed the way people lived?
• for light when it was dark
• to scare away wild animals
• to chase animals from bushes to be killed
• to gather around a fire to share stories
• to cook food
• to smoke meat that could be stored for later use
Archaeologists believe that people learned to create fire by
friction. When they rubbed two pieces of wood together, the
wood became heated. When the wood became hot enough, it
caught fire.
Paleolithic people even developed drill-like wooden tools to
start fires. Then, they discovered that iron pyrite, a type of
stone, gave off sparks when struck against another rock. The
sparks would ignite dry grass or leaves, starting a fire.
7. DETERMINING
CENTRAL IDEAS
Language and Art

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

List a few of the ways spoken
language helped Paleolithic Before the Paleolithic Age, early people had communicated
people survive. through sounds and physical gestures. After the Paleolithic
Age, people began to develop spoken language. People
started expressing themselves in words to communicate
information and emotions.
Now during a hunt, they could cooperate and discuss their
plans. They also could share skills they had gained, such as
how to make tools. Their spoken language was constantly
growing and changing. New technology and different
experiences led to new words.
The Paleolithic Age also saw people expressing themselves
through art. Some of this art still exists today. Paintings of what
look like bison, horses, boars, and deer have been found in
caves throughout the world.
Thousands of years ago, early artists crushed yellow, black,
and red rocks and combined them with animal fat to make
paint. They used twigs and their fingertips to paint on the
walls. Later, they used brushes made of animal hair. Historians
think the animals may have been painted to bring hunters
good luck or to record the history of a group of people.

70 WORLD HISTORY
 Name Date Class

LESSON 1 SUMMARY, continued

The Ice Ages 8. RESEARCHING

The ice ages involved major changes to the environment. Use the Internet or another
These changes threatened the survival of humans. outside resource to find images
of cave paintings from the
Paleolithic Age. What do you see
What Changes Came With the in the paintings that shows that
they were made by humans?
Ice Ages?
The ice ages were long periods of extreme cold that affected
all of Earth. The most recent Ice Age began about 100,000 years
ago. The Ice Age occurred when thick sheets of ice moved
across large parts of Europe, Asia, and North America.
The water level of the oceans became lower as the ice sheets,
or glaciers, became larger. This exposed a strip of dry land that
connected Asia and North America. This strip of land is known
as a land bridge. It may have acted as a natural highway for
people to travel from Asia into North America. Paleolithic people
may have migrated, or moved, southward and then settled in
different regions.
ANALYZING VISUALS

Ice Age Migration 9. READING A MAP

A R CTI C O C E A N If nomadic groups were to
migrate from Asia to North
America along the southern edge
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

KEY
AR
CT
IC C
of the Ice Age land bridge, how
Ice Age land bridge
I RC
LE far would they have to travel to
NORTH reach North American land?
Be
rin

AMERICA
ASIA
gS

(Alaska)
(Siberia)
trait

60 °
N

Bering Sea N
E
0 500 miles W
S
0 500 km
160°E Orthographic projection 180° 160°W

This land bridge between Asia and North America was exposed
during the last Ice Age. Paleolithic people may have crossed the
land bridge in search of food or a better place to live.

orld)

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cond Proof
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on: January 22, 2016
WORLD HISTORY  71
Name Date Class

LESSON 1 SUMMARY, continued

10. RESEARCHING How Did the Ice Ages Affect Humans?

Use the Internet or another Humans had a hard time surviving ice age conditions. They
outside resource to find out had to adapt, or change, areas of their lives. For example, they
how many ice ages have adapted their diets by enriching meals with fat. To protect
occurred. How many ice ages themselves from the harsh environment, they built stronger
have affected humans? shelters. They learned to make warmer clothing using animal
furs. Fire helped them stay warm in the cold environment.
When the Ice Age ended, climate change had altered
environments around the world, so people adapted once
again. This last Ice Age ended about 90,000 years ago,
sometime between 9000 and 8000 b.c.

REVIEW LESSON 1

1. Complete the chart to identify the features and achievements of people who lived
during the Paleolithic Age.

What was How did

their way of they change
life? to survive?

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Paleolithic
People
What
technology
What forms of did they
communication did bring about?
they practice?

2. DRAWING CONCLUSIONS Use the information in your graphic organizer to

answer the following question: How did the characteristics of Paleolithic people
help them organize their lives and adapt to changes? On a separate sheet of paper,
write an essay that describes early peoples’ way of life, and explains how they
survived.

72 WORLD HISTORY
 Name Date Class

LESSON 2 SUMMARY
The Agricultural Revolution

SS.6.G.1.4, SS.6.G.3.1, SS.6.G.4.1, SS.6.E.1.2, SS.6.E.2.1, SS.6.W.1.1, SS.6.W.2.1,

SS.6.W.2.2, SS.6.W.2.3
1. DESCRIBING

Neolithic Times Complete this graphic

organizer to describe how
The end of the last Ice Age gave way to warmer temperatures people lived before and after
on Earth. The changing climate deeply affected the the Neolithic Age.
environment. Many nomads moved further north or south from
the Equator to areas with a mild climate and fertile land. Once People Before Neolithic Age
nomadic humans found they could grow grains and
vegetables, they began staying in one place.
This was the beginning of a revolution in the way humans lived in nomadic groups of
lived. Farming gradually replaced hunting and gathering as 20-30 people
the main source of food. In addition, people began to tame, or
domesticate, wild animals. They began using animals to followed migrating animals
transport goods and to provide meat, milk, and wool. People During Neolithic Age

learned to farm and produced

The Neolithic Age own food

As people began to grow their own food, they no longer

needed to roam from place to place in search of animals, fish,
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

or plants. This revolutionary change in the way people lived

was the beginning of the Neolithic Age. It lasted for almost
4,000 years, beginning around 8000 b.c. and ending about
4000 b.c. Neolithic means “new stone” in Greek. This time 2. DETERMINING WORD
period was the last part of the Stone Age, also called the New MEANINGS
Stone Age. The Neolithic Age signalled the shift from hunting
and gathering to systematic agriculture, or growing food on a The base root in domesticate is
regular basis. the Latin word domus. On a
separate sheet of paper, list
Although some people began growing their own food, other words that use this root.
agriculture did not develop right away. It was a gradual shift. What does domus likely mean?
Many people continued to hunt and gather during the
Mesolithic Age, or Middle Stone Age. Agriculture truly
changed human life at the start of the Neolithic Age.

Big Changes for Humankind

The name historians gave to this shift to settled farming is the
Agricultural Revolution. A revolution is any change that has a
huge impact on many people’s way of life. Some historians
think the Agricultural Revolution was the most important event
in human history.

WORLD HISTORY  73
Name Date Class

LESSON 2 SUMMARY, continued

The Agricultural Revolution changed the way people collected
3. CREATING CHARTS
food. For example, hunter-gatherers ate all the wild grains
Fill in the chart comparing how they found, but early farmers saved some grain for planting.
hunter-gatherers and early Hunter-gatherers killed all the wild animals they could, while
farmers collected food. early farmers tamed some animals.
Hunter- Early Farmers Populations grew at faster rates among early farmers,
Gatherers because staying in one place made it easier to raise children.
Survival was more difficult for nomads, who moved from place
to place searching for food.

Widespread Farming
Here are some examples of where people farmed, what they
farmed, and approximately when they started. In addition,
animals were domesticated at this time. Pigs and dogs were
domesticated in northern China while Mexico and other parts
of Central America domesticated chickens and dogs.

Region Food Source When Farming Began

Southwest Asia wheat, barley, pigs, 8000 b.c.
cows, goats, sheep
ANALYZING CHART Nile Valley wheat, barley 6000 b.c.

4. READING A CHART India wheat, barley between 8000 and 5000 b.c.

Identify the first and last Northern China millet (grain), pigs 6000 b.c.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

regions to develop wheat and Southeast Asia rice 5000 b.c.
barley as food sources. Where
Mexico and corn, squash, potatoes,
might European farmers have between 7000 and 5000 b.c.
Central America chickens
learned to grow these crops?
Europe wheat, barley, pigs, 4000 B.C.
cows, goats, sheep

Life in the Neolithic Age

A major difference for people living in the Neolithic Age from
those living in the Paleolithic Age was that people settled in
villages. This allowed them to build permanent homes. To
make planting, growing, and harvesting crops easier, villages
were located near rivers or other water sources and fields.

Neolithic Communities
Historians have found evidence that Neolithic farming villages
developed in different parts of the world, including Europe,
India, Egypt, China, and Mexico.
The biggest and earliest known communities were found in
Southwest Asia. Çatalhüyük was located in what is now
present-day Turkey. The community covered 32 acres and
was home to about 6,000 people.

74 WORLD HISTORY
 Name Date Class

LESSON 2 SUMMARY, continued

The community of Çatalhüyük had special buildings called
5. MAKING
shrines, or holy places. They were decorated with images of
CONNECTIONS
gods and goddesses. This suggests that religion was gaining
more importance in the lives of Neolithic people. Identify economic and religious
features of Çatalhüyük that
Farmers grew fruits, nuts, and different grains on land outside
provided a framework for future
of Çatalhüyük. They grew their own food and saved it in
communities. How might these
storerooms in their homes. These farmers also raised sheep,
features be adapted or changed
goats, and cattle that provided milk and meat. They also
by future communities?
hunted, and found fish and bird eggs from nearby marshes to
include in their diet.

What Were the Benefits of

a Settled Life?
Settlements provided Neolithic people with protection from
bad weather and wild animals. When there was a steady
supply of food, the population of a settlement was healthier
and continued to grow. With an increase in population, more
workers became available, and more crops were grown.
Villagers produced more than they could eat. They began to
trade their food for supplies they could not easily produce.
Fewer people were needed in the fields. As a result, Neolithic
people started to take part in economic activities other than
farming. This led to specialization, which means that some ANALYZING CHART
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

people became artisans, or skilled workers. They made

weapons, tools, and jewelry that they traded with neighboring 6. COMPARING AND
communities. Some people made pottery or baskets. These CONTRASTING
craftspeople also exchanged the goods they made for goods How were the roles of men and
they could not easily make. women different from Paleolithic
The roles of men and women changed when people began to times in Neolithic communities?
settle. Look at the chart to see some of these changes. Use the chart to cite specific
similarities and differences.
Neolithic Roles of Men Neolithic Roles of Women
worked in the fields to farm and bore the children and stayed in the
herd animals villages
grew food and protected the village wove cloth and made clothing

became family and community managed food supplies and

leaders performed other tasks

Even though communities had many benefits for people, they

also caused problems for the environment. In some places,
such as settlements in present-day Jordan, rapid population
growth caused resources such as wood supplies to be used
up quickly. This loss of forestation led to the spreading of
desert-like conditions. Once this type of ecological damage
occurred, many settlements were abandoned.

WORLD HISTORY  75
Name Date Class

LESSON 2 SUMMARY, continued

7. CREATING TIME LINES
The End of the Neolithic Age
On a separate sheet of paper,
The late Neolithic Age was a time when people made even
create a time line of the Stone
more technological advances. They made better farming
Age and Bronze Age. Use
tools, such as hoes, sickles, and millstones. In some regions,
information from previous
people started experimenting with metallurgy, or working with
chapters or an outside
metals. Workers heated rocks and found melted copper inside
resource.
them. They experimented with using the copper into tools and
weapons. These tools were easier to make and use than
those made of stone. They also were stronger and would last
longer, which was valuable for weapons. People exchanged
them for other products as well.
In Western Asia, craftspeople found that mixing copper and tin
formed bronze. This was a major technological discovery
because bronze was stronger than copper. People started to
ANALYZING MAP use it between 3000 and 1200 b.c., in a period that became
known as the Bronze Age. However, because bronze was
8. ANALYZING MAPS expensive, usually only leaders could use these tools.
Study the map of early river
valley civilizations. Speculate
about which civilizations might
Civilizations Emerge
have made the earliest contact Communities were widespread by the beginning of the
with each other. What might be Bronze Age. More complex cultures called civilizations began
some benefits and drawbacks to develop in these communities. Four of the great river valley
of this kind of contact? civilizations emerged around 3000 b.c. They were

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China.

Early Civilization, 3000 b.c.

40°E 60°E 80°E 100°E 120°E
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DOPW (Discovering our Past - World)

Chapter 3
Map Title: Early Civilizations, 3000 BC
File Name: C03_08A-659529_EOCT
76 WORLD HISTORY Map Size: Left Top Half
Date/Proof: Oct 21, 2010 - First Proof
Dec 20, 2010 - Second Proof
2018 Font Conversions: December 11, 2015
2018 Grayscale EOCT Conversion: January 22, 2016
 Name Date Class

LESSON 2 SUMMARY, continued

Cities and Government 9. SYNTHESIZING

These early civilizations shared characteristics, such as Underline the details that tell
developing cities and forming governments. Because these how religion influenced the
civilizations were situated in river valleys, fertile soil made it government and society of
easy to grow crops and feed a growing population. The rivers early civilizations. How did
provided fish and water, and they encouraged trade. Cities religion help leaders make
that developed in these valleys were the centers of decisions for the people?
civilizations.
Why would civilizations form governments? People wanted to
protect themselves and their food supplies. The first
governments were monarchies. A monarchy is a type of
government led by a king or queen. Monarchs had armies to
defend their kingdoms against enemies. They made laws to
keep order.

Religions
Civilizations were characterized by the emergence of
religions. Religions helped people explain the forces of nature
and the role of humans in the world. Early people believed
that the gods were responsible for a community’s survival. ANALYZING CHART
Priests took part in religious ceremonies to win the support of
the gods. Rulers claimed that their power was based on the 10. INTERPRETING
gods’ approval. People constructed buildings that were used
What does the shape of the
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

as places of worship or burial tombs for kings.

diagram tell you about the
number of people in each
Social Structure social class?

Early civilizations were characterized by social class

structures. This means people were organized into groups
based on their wealth, power, and duties. Look at the chart to
see the structure of social classes.

Highest
Class:
rulers, priests,
and warriors
Middle Class: free people
including farmers, artisans, and
craftspeople
Lowest Class: enslaved people, most of whom
were captured from enemies during war

WORLD HISTORY  77
Name Date Class

LESSON 2 SUMMARY, continued

11. DRAWING
CONCLUSIONS
Writing and Art
People invented ways of writing to pass on information. These
Why might the development of
early written systems did not use letters or words. Instead,
writing be important for
they used symbols. Writing was an important feature of
historians?
civilizations. People were able to keep accurate records and
preserve stories.
Civilizations also created art. Some art was for enjoyment and
other art was for practical purposes, like storytelling or record
keeping. Some artists portrayed gods and forces of nature in
their paintings and sculptures.

REVIEW LESSON 2

1. SEQUENCING Use the chart to identify the sequence of events that led to
civilizations.

People People
migrate specialize
to areas and begin
with mild using
climate copper
and fertile and

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land. bronze
for tools.

2. INTERPRETING Choose one or two events in the sequence chart. How were
early people able to make the next step in the development of civilizations? What
problems did they face during this time? Be sure to include geographic and
economic factors that might have affected early communities.

78 WORLD HISTORY
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Benchmark Skill Activities

DIRECTIONS: Write your answers on a separate piece of paper.
SS.6.W.2.2, LAFS.68.WHST.2.4 (high)

1. DRAWING CONCLUSIONS

Use your to write an essay. Identify two events in your sequence lists that you
think are most important to helping historians or scientists develop knowledge about
these eras. Explain why these events are important. What might scientists or historians
learn from studying these events that would change what we know about these eras?

SS.6.W.2.1, LA.6.1.6.1 (moderate)

2. USING DEFINITIONS
Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the lifestyles of hunter-gatherers and
settlers of early agricultural communities. Use these words in your paragraph: Paleolithic
Age, Neolithic Age, nomads, systematic agriculture, and domesticate.

SS.6.G.3.2 (high)
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3. SPECULATING
Think about how population growth and the domestication of animals might have
affected the physical landscape in and around early settlements. Write short responses to
the following prompts:
a. Describe challenges early farmers must have faced in domesticating animals, and
keeping the animals safe and healthy.

b. Give an example of how population growth can create scarcity of natural resources.

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Name Date Class

BENCHMARK SKILL ACTIVITIES, continued

LA.6.1.6.2, LAFS.68.RH.3.8 (high)

4. DISTINGUISHING FACT FROM OPINION

Read the statements below. On the lines, indicate whether each statement is a fact, an
opinion, or a reasoned judgment. Use F for fact, O for opinion, and J for reasoned
judgment.
1. Being successful farmers and growing surpluses allowed people to seek other
economic activities.
2. Religion must have been important to the people of Çatalhüyük because
historians found evidence of shrines decorated with images of gods and goddesses.

LACMA - Los Angeles County Museum of Art,

3. It was better to live in Çatalhüyük than in small villages.
4. Artisans in early cities were not very skilled since they made poor tools.
5. Tools made with metals were stronger and more durable than tools made with
stone.
6. Evidence of early nomadic humans and early cities discovered by archeologists
and anthropologists most likely changed the way people thought about early life.

SS.6.W.2.4, SS.6.E.2.1, LAFS.68.RH.3.7 (moderate)

5. ANALYZING VISUALS

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central
government
and religion

organized advances
society and in writing
economy and
technology

Civilization

Civilizations have certain shared characteristics, such as government and religion. How
do the images of the Mesopotamian ruler and the Egyptian priest relate to the chart?
What might they indicate about government and religion in civilizations?

80 WORLD HISTORY
 Name Date Class

Benchmark Note Cards

DIRECTIONS: Use these note cards to help you prepare for the test.

SS.6.G.3.1 Explain how the physical landscape has affected the development of agriculture and industry in the ancient world.

CHANGES TO • Climate changes affected the environment after the last

PHYSICAL Ice Age.
LANDSCAPE • Nomads moved further north and south from the Equator to
DURING NEOLITHIC areas with mild climate and fertile land.
AGE • People remained in one place and began to farm.
• Farming replaced hunting and gathering as the main food
source.
• People domesticated animals to transport goods and to
provide food.

SS.6.G.3.2 Analyze the impact of human populations on the ancient world’s ecosystems.

IMPACT OF HUMAN • Rapid population growth depleted resources such as wood.

POPULATION ON • Loss of forestation caused desert-like conditions to spread.
ECOSYSTEM • People abandoned settlements.
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SS.6.G.4.1 Explain how family and ethnic relationships influenced ancient cultures.

RELATIONSHIPS IN Men:
THE PALEOLITHIC
• traveled far from camp to hunt large animals.
AGE: ROLES OF
MEN, WOMEN, AND • learned how to track and kill animals.
FAMILIES • developed tools to hunt and catch prey.
• grew food, herded animals, and protected the village.
• became family and community leaders.
Women:
• maintained the camp and cared for children.
• searched for berries, nuts, and grains.
• wove cloth and made clothing.
• managed food supplies and performed other tasks.
Families:
• Scientists think both men and women made decisions equally.
• Evidence suggests that men and women hunted together.
• This would mean they were functioning as the first families.

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Name Date Class

BENCHMARK NOTE CARDS, continued

SS.6.G.4.3 Locate sites in Africa and Asia where archaeologists have found evidence of early human societies, and trace their migration
patterns to other parts of the world.

TRACING Significant Migrations:

MIGRATIONS OF
• The ice ages brought extreme cold.
PALEOLITHIC
PEOPLE • Thick sheets of ice moved across large parts of Europe, Asia,
and North America.
• The oceans’ water levels became lower as glaciers became
larger.
• This left an exposed strip of dry land that connected Asia and
North America.
• This strip was a land bridge.
• Paleolithic people may have moved southward and settled in
different regions.
The Results of Migrations:
• Humans had to adapt to changing conditions during and after
the Ice Age.
• Many nomads moved further north and south from the
Equator.
• These areas had a mild climate and fertile land.
• Humans began growing grains and vegetables.

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• Humans began staying in one place.
Farming gradually replaced hunting and gathering as the main
source of food.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL • Evidence has been found from prehistoric times, or before

FINDINGS OF people invented writing, of nomadic groups of
SOCIETIES AND hunter-gatherers.
MIGRATION • Historians have found evidence of farming villages in Europe,
India, Egypt, China, and Mexico.
• At different times, people followed land bridges from Africa
and Asia to these locations.

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 Name Date Class

BENCHMARK NOTE CARDS, continued

SS.6.E.1.2 Describe and identify traditional and command economies as they appear in different civilizations.

SURPLUS FOOD, • Neolithic farmers saved some grains to plant.

TRADE, AND
• Farmers tamed animals and used them for transportation
SPECIALIZATION
and products like milk, meat, and wool.
• Farming spread to Southwest Asia, Europe, Egypt, Africa,
India, China, Mexico, and Central America.
• Farmers produced more than they could eat.
• People began to do specialized jobs and made weapons,
jewelry, pottery, and baskets.
• Farmers and craftspeople began to trade for supplies they
could not produce.

SS.6.E.2.1 Evaluate how civilizations through clans, leaders, and family groups make economic decisions for that civilization providing a
framework for future city-state or nation development.

PALEOLITHIC • Paleolithic men learned about animal behavior and

FAMILY GROUPS developed ways to track the animals.
• Better tools made it easier to hunt and catch prey.
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• Women gathered berries, nuts, and grains.

• Nomadic groups made decisions together to increase food
supply.
• Leaders and families communicated with spoken language.

NEOLITHIC • Advances in technology led to farming tools and the fact

FARMING that people began to settle in one place.
COMMUNITIES
• The discovery of fire changed the way people lived and
how they stored food.
• At the end of the Neolithic Age, people made better
farming tools and started working with metals such as
copper and bronze.

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Name Date Class

BENCHMARK NOTE CARDS, continued

SS.6.W.2.1 Compare the lifestyles of hunter-gatherers with those of settlers of early agricultural communities.

HUNTER- Hunter-Gatherers Early Farmers

GATHERERS AND
EARLY FARMING nomads who lived in small settlers who built permanent
SETTLERS bands of 20 to 30 people shelters near their fields
hunted wild animals and practiced systematic
searched the wilderness agriculture and grew their
for food own food

killed all wild animals they domesticated some animals

could to use for transportation and
food products
constantly moved from stayed in one place,
place to place searching eventually creating
for food communities and civilizations
mostly used tools made of developed tools made of
stone metals and bronze as well as
textiles for clothing
used only spoken developed written language
language to communicate as well as spoken language

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SS.6.W.2.2 Describe how the developments of agriculture and metallurgy related to the emergence of civilization.

SETTLEMENT AND • Evidence of farming village settlements have been found

THE EMERGENCE mostly in river valleys throughout the world—Europe, India,
OF CIVILIZATION Egypt, China, and Mexico.
• Advances in metallurgy made better tools and increased
food supplies.
• As farming became easier, people began to specialize and
make products that could be traded.

84 WORLD HISTORY
 Name Date Class

BENCHMARK NOTE CARDS, continued

ÇATALHÜYÜK • Çatalhüyük was an early community in Turkey.

• Çatalhüyük had shrines decorated with images of gods and
goddesses demonstrating that religion was important.
• Artwork was found on the walls of the Çatalhüyük’s ruins.

SS.6.W.2.3 Identify the characteristics of civilization.

CHARACTERISTICS • more complex than communities

OF CIVILIZATION
• developed cities and formed governments
• developed in river valleys, where fertile soil made it easy to
grow crops and feed a large population
• had armies to defend against enemies
• made laws to keep order
• had religions; people believed gods were responsible for
community’s survival
• had social class structures
• had systems of writing that used symbols so people could
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keep accurate records and preserve stories

• created art for enjoyment and for practical purposes

WORLD HISTORY  85
Name Date Class

BENCHMARK NOTE CARDS, continued

ECONOMIC AND • Cities developed in river valleys because there was fertile soil
POLITICAL for crops, water, and fish, all of which encouraged trade.
INSTITUTIONS OF • Cities in these valleys became centers of civilization
ANCIENT RIVER and culture.
CIVILIZATIONS • Governments protected population and food supplies.
• Earliest governments were monarchies that had laws to keep
order and armies to defend against enemies.

RELIGIOUS • Religions helped explain the forces of nature and the role
INSTITUTIONS OF of humans in the world.
ANCIENT RIVER
• People believed that gods were responsible for
CIVILIZATIONS
civilizations’ survival.
• Priests tried to win support of gods by participating in
religious ceremonies.
• Rulers said their power was based on gods’ approval.
• People made buildings that were used as places of worship
or burial tombs for kings.
• Artists portrayed gods and forces of nature in their

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paintings and sculpture.

SOCIAL • People in ancient river civilizations were organized into

STRUCTURE OF groups based on the type of work they did and the amount
ANCIENT RIVER of wealth and power they had.
CIVILIZATIONS
• The highest class consisted of rulers, priests, government
officials, and warriors. These people made the rules and
decisions.
• The middle class was composed of free people including
farmers, artisans, and craftspeople.
• The lowest class consisted of enslaved people, many of
whom were captured from enemies during war.

86 WORLD HISTORY