Learning About the Past - Ch.1 review

Social scientists are scholars who study

• animal behavior.
• dinosaur skeletons.
• human society.
• astronomy. (stars and planets)

Which of these activities would an archaeologist most likely do? 

• make maps
• examine artifacts
• read old newspapers
• study the Earth's landforms

An object made or used by people in the past is called 

• an artifact
• a document
• a hypothesis
• a ritual

Why do historians read diaries and letters from the past? 

• to agree on plans for the future
• to compare their ideas of history
• to learn to speak an ancient language
• to find out what happened and why

What is the evidence that prehistoric cave artists built wood structures (scaffolding) to stand on? 

• Many trees grew in the area.
• The ancient planks are still there.
• Pictures of the scaffolding have been found.
• Some paintings are too high to be reached from the floor.

If ancient paintings were found in a cave, which of these questions would be the hardest to answer? 

• Why did people paint in caves?
• What type of paint did people use?
• What did people paint pictures of?
• What did people use for paintbrushes?

Why are ancient handprints found on cave walls very small?

• The cave ceilings were very low.
• The prints were made by children.
• People long ago were not as big as people today.
• The smallest members of the group stayed home to paint.

What does this ancient spear thrower, with its detailed carving, indicate about the person who may have used it? 

• This person was a hunter.
• This person was very strong.
• This person prayed to animals.
• This person was a skilled painter.

objects made or used by people in the past

• archaeologist
• ritual
• prehistoric
• artifact

The period before written history

• history
• prehistory
• future
• present