What is History?

1. What is History?

2. The discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events[i] • The study of past events, particularly in human affairs. • The past considered as a whole.[ii] • A continuous, systematic narrative of past events as relating to a particular people, country, period, person, etc., usually written as a chronological account. • The record of past events and times, especially in connection with the human race.[iii] • A chronological record of significant events (as affecting a nation or institution) often including an explanation of their causes • A branch of knowledge that records and explains past events[iv]

3. A continuous, typically chronological, record of important or public events or of a particular trend or institution[v] • A systematic, written account of events, particularly of those affecting a nation, institution, science, or art, and usually connected with a philosophical explanation of their causes[vi] • History is a narration of the events which have happened among mankind, including an account of the rise and fall of nations, as well as of other great changes which have affected the political and social condition of the human race.[vii] • History is ... a dialogue between the present and the past.[viii] • History is the study of the human past as it is described in the written documents left by human beings.[ix] • History is the greatest story ever told • “History is who we are and why we are the way we are”.[x]

4. So what? Why is history important? • "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it“ • George Santayana • "Who Knows only his own Generation remains always a child.“ • Cicero • “you don't know where you're going until you know where you've been". • Will Smith in Hitch.

5. How do we study history? • In Order to understand an event or people we need to have some thing to relate to them to get information. We call this a source • Some sources are better than others, we divide them into two categories. • Primary v. Secondary • Primary: First hand or directly connected account • Secondary: Second hand account or report.

6. How do we study history? • Archeology • Archaeologists are specially trained scientists who work like detectives to uncover the story of prehistoric peoples. • Piecing together the story of humans and cultures • Archaeologists work with Anthropologists to create a whole picture of the life of prehistoric people.

7. How do we study history? • Anthropology • Scientists who study the culture of people • Including the history and culture of prehistoric people. • Work to create a picture of behavior of prehistoric people.

8. How do we study history? • Paleontology • Paleontology is the study of prehistoric life in general, more focused on evolutionary differences and changes in species. • Scientific study of early life • Work on fossil dating • Analyze fossils to understand life.

9. How do we study history? Archeologists and Anthropologists Paleontologists Fossil Evidence of early life preserved in rocks. Human fossils can be bones, or teeth, skulls etc. • Artifact • Human made objects such as tools and jewelry • Can show how they lived, things they valued, really shows culture and way of life of a group of people.

10. Where do we start? • We have to have an understanding of the basics before we can start to understand the history of people and the world. • We have to understand the world? What it looks like, what it looked like, climates, physical features, earth sun relationships, etc. • We have to understand what culture is in order to explain it. • We need to find sources.

11. Geography • What does the world look like? • What are some Major Physical Features of the earth that would impact life? • How come we have seasons? • What is Culture?

12. Pre History • Period of time before the invention of writing • Roughly 5,000 years ago. • Prehistory is still being pieced together and is still not fully understood. • We know only what we have discovered and what we can assume from what we have examined. • There are many different accounts of the creation of life and the creation of the world, but there are no definitive answers. • Early world history will always be changing as new information is discovered and more information is learned.

13. What we do know • Prehistoric people lived in bands of people, groups, that lived near each other. • They shared similar ways of doing things, early culture. • We know that one of the earliest clues about human origin was found in Tanzania in Africa by Mary Leakey. • In 1978- Prehistoric fossils footprints that resembled modern humans, were found preserved in volcanic ash • Human like figures that were given the name Australopithecines. • Australopithecines fell under the category of an early Hominid • Creature that walks upright. • What did we learn from these footprints?

14. The Laetoli Footprints • What do these footprints tell us? First, . . . that at least 3,600,000 years ago, what I believe to be man’s direct ancestor walked fully upright. . . . Second, that the form of the foot was exactly the same as ours. . . . [The footprints produced] a kind of poignant time wrench. At one point, . . . she [the female hominid] stops, pauses, turns to the left to glance at some possible threat or irregularity, and then continues to the north. This motion, so intensely human, transcends time. • MARY LEAKEY, quoted in National Geographic

15. Lucy • We know that hominids lived 3.5 million years ago in Ethiopia. • In 1974 Donald Johanson and his team found a complete skeleton of an adult female hominid. • Named her Lucy • Oldest hominid found to that date. • Lucy was also part of the species of australopithecines. • Anthropologists believe that these hominids walked upright culturally • Travel easily over long distances • Spot threats • Carry food and children • Also had another benefit that made them superior to other animals.

16. The opposable thumb • Early hominids that have been found had opposable thumbs. • You thumb can cross the tip of you hand. • Why is this significant • Try going about your day without using your thumbs.

17. The Old Stone Age • Name given to the period of time when early hominids started to use tools, master fire, and develop language. • Some of the greatest achievements in human history. • The Old stone age lasts from about 2.5 million years BC to about 8,000 BC. • Also called the Paleolithic Age • Period of time with simple tools. • Some of the Oldest tools, artifacts that serve a useful purpose, were found and dated to between this time period • Most of the Paleolithic Age occurred during the Ice Age. • Glaciers moved in and out around the poles • Didn’t end until around 10,000 years ago

18. Homo Habilis • While australopithecines roamed, another group of hominids appeared in East Africa around 2.5 million years ago. • In 1960 Louis and Mary Leakey discovered a hominid fossil at Olduvai Gorge in north Tanzania. • Named the fossil Homo Habilis, meaning “man of skill” • Found tools made of lava rock which they believed they used these tools to cut meat and crack open bones.

19. Homo Erectus and Technology • About 1.6 million years ago around the time of the decline of Homo Habilis another species of Hominids appeared in East Africa • Known as Homo Erectus or Upright Man • Anthropologists believe that they were a more intelligent and adaptable species. • According to anthropologists they used intelligence to develop technology. • Using tools and intelligence and inventions to meet their needs. • First to migrate from Africa into India, China, Southeast Asia, and Europe • First to use fire • May have developed the beginning of spoken language, worked as teams to plan hunts.

20. New Stone Age • Neolithic Age • Transition from the Ice Age opened up the New Stone Age • People who lived in this time period learned to polish stone tools, make pottery, grow crops, and raise animals. • The Ice retreat and the movement of Homo Erectus lead to another species developing in the late new stone age

21. Dawn of Modern Humans • Homo Sapiens • Wise men • Many scientists believe that Homo Erectus developed into Homo Sapiens • Physically resemble Homo Erectus but had larger brains • Cro-Magnons are the closest ancestors to modern humans • Neanderthals used to be considered a part of Homo Sapiens but recent DNA tests indicated that they are not related to modern humans. • Though they may have fought with Homo Sapiens.

22. Neanderthals • Discovered in the Neander Valley in Germany in 1856 bone fragments were spotted. • From other bone fragments discovered it is believed that they were strong hominids with slanted brows, well developed muscles, and thick bones. • Evidence shows they were trying to control the world they lived in and tried to explain their world. • Practiced ritual burials • Shows Spirituality • Mysteriously Vanished about 30,000 years ago

23. Cro-Magnons • Appeared around 40,000 years ago • Skeletons found show that they are almost identical to modern humans • Strong builds and short in height, usually around 5 and a half feet tall • Migrated from North Africa to Europe and Asia • Made specific use tools • Planned hunts and stalked prey • Developed spoken language

24. The Neolithic Ice Man • In 1991 two German Hikers made a miraculous discovery • Found a mummified body preserved in ice near the border of Austria and Italy • Preserved in the ice for 5,000 Years. • Found a tool kit near him that included a 6 foot longbow and a deerskin case with 14 arrows • Also had a flint dagger in a sheath, an ax, a medicine bag, and flint sharpening tool. • Scientist determined he was 40 years old and had died of an arrow wound in the back. • Before he died he ate a meal of wild goat, red deer, and grains.

25. The Picture still Has Holes • Scientists are still studying and working to complete the picture of pre historic humans. • Recently discovered cave paintings in Chad and Kenya show apelike creatures and hominids dating 6 to 7 million years ago. • A jaw bone from Ethiopia is the oldest fossil belonging to a line leading to humans. • Stone tools were found at the same site suggesting tools may have been used earlier in human history • A bone flute of a Neanderthal was discovered showing that they may have had music as part of their culture. • This tools and cultures lead to many changes in the lifestyles of human kind.