Early Humans & Stone Age

The end of the Stone Age (around 10,000-12,000 years ago) witnessed the change from hunter-gatherer societies to agricultural societies. One of the societal changes that occurred at this time was that people...

• began to interact and trade with distant societies

• began to farm and live in permanent settlements

• relied more on meat than plants for their diets

• migrated south ahead of advancing glaciers

Which of the following were the first tools that Paleolithic people used?

• plows

• stone axes

• wooden digging sticks

• copper axes

How did the invention of spears help people living in the Paleolithic period?

• They were able to hunt wild animals

• They were able to domesticate animals

• They were able to become better farmers

• They were able to cut down trees

An early problem in agricultural societies was...

• the loss of wetlands and the wildlife it supports

• the erosion of topsoil and loss of soil nutrients

• the spread of fires using slash and burn clearing

• the spread of diseases from animals to humans

Humans’ main source of food during the early Paleolithic Era was...

• from hunting and gathering

• from raising livestock and cattle

• from the sea

• from farming and growing crops

Society as a whole was advanced by agriculture. Land that is farmed can support more than 50 times the number of people that same and can support through subsistence (bare necessities) living. Because of agriculture

• the building of cities was delayed by 1000 years

• standing armies developed among stronger societies

• great forests in North Africa were destroyed

• hunter-gatherers were able to buy food from neighbors

Which of the following was a significant technological breakthrough that occurred during the Paleolithic era?

• the invention of the wheel

• the use of writing

• the ability to create fire

• the use of coins as money

A nomad is someone who travels around instead of settling in one place. Which of the following sentences best describes why early humans were nomadic?

• They didn't have the wealth necessary to build a city

• They moved around to stay away from their enemies

• It was too dangerous to stay in one place too long

• They followed the movement of the animals they hunted

Early humans arrive in Australia about 40-45,000 years ago. Where did they come from, and how did they get there?

• They arrived from Polynesian islands in the Pacific via boat

• They came from what is now Southeast Asia via a land bridge

• They arrived from the west, crossing the Indian Ocean from Africa

• They came from present-day New Zealand via a land bridge

The development of agriculture led to...

• an increase in number of nomads

• less sophisticated societies

• a decrease in population

• more reliable sources of food