Chapter 1 Study Guide
--Much of the chapter 1 test assesses understanding of vocabulary terms.
1. Prehistory - a long period of time before people developed systems of writing
2. Archaeology - the study of past cultures through the objects they left behind
3. archaeologist- people who study archaeology
4. artifacts - an object made by people long ago
5. migrated - when people leave one home for another;
-hunter/gatherers were following herds of animals seeking food
6. Ice Age - A period of time when glaciers covered great stretches of land
7. glaciers - huge ice sheets that cover stretches of land
8. Beringia - a vast land area that existed when seas were lower. It connected Asia and North America during the Ice Age. Ancient people migrated across this from Asia to North America.
9. Bering Strait - body of water between Asia and North America (today)where Beringia once was.
Earth’s Population:
Began in Africa migration to Europe and Asia During Ice Age seas lower exposing Beringia animals migrate between Asia and N. America Hunters follow animals and migrate into N. America
Stone Age - period of time when humans relied on stone tools
-Ended when people began working with metals
Old Stone Age- lasted from 3.5 million years ago to 10,000 years ago
-Technology improved at a slow rate
-rough, jagged stones used as tools
New Stone Age - lasted from 10,000 years ago to 5,000 years ago
-Technology improved at a faster rate
- humans began to grow some of their food
-polished, smooth stones used for tools and weapons
technology - the way humans produce the items they need
domesticate - to tame (animals or plants)
harvest - to gather
excavation site - where artifacts are dug up
agriculture - raising plants and animals for human use
surplus - extra supply
nomads - people who travel from place to place with no permanent home
social division - group that does a certain type of work (ex., fishermen or potters)
carbon dating - method of estimating the age of something after it has died
People stopped their nomadic way of life