Key Terms from Early Human History

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Paleolithic

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The early phase of the Stone Age, lasting about 2.5 million years, when primitive stone implements were used.

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Nomad

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A member of a people having no permanent home, and who travel from place to place to meet their basic needs.

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Hunter-gatherer

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A member of a nomadic people who live mainly by hunting, fishing, and harvesting wild food.

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Agriculture

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The practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food, wool, and other products.

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Technology

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Advancing use of tools to make work easier and faster.

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Ice Age

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A long, cold period in Earth's history when giant sheets of ice, called ice sheets, cover large parts of the land, especially near the poles.

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Neolithic Revolution

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The transition from nomadic hunter-gatherer societies to settled agricultural communities, marking the beginning of farming.

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Domestication

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The process of taming wild plants and animals for human use, such as food, work, or companionship.

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Artifact

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An object made or used by humans, typically an item of cultural or historical interest found at archaeological sites.