Prehistory and Early Humans

Why is it difficult for historians to know exact facts and dates about prehistory?

• The Ice Age destroyed all of the artifacts left behind by early hominids.

• There are no written records of what happened during this time period.

• It is impossible to determine if the land bridge theory is true.

• Ancient cave paintings do not reveal any information about early humans.

Which group of people studies prehistory based upon what earlier people left behind?

• archaeologists

• geneticists

• geologists

• linguists

What is the difference between an artifact and a fossil?

• An artifact’s age can only be determined by relative dating, while a fossil’s age can only be determined by absolute dating.

• A fossil is an object made by humans, while an artifact is the remains of something that was once alive.

• An artifact is an object made by humans, while a fossil is the remains of something that was once alive.

• A fossil’s age can only be determined by relative dating, while an artifact’s age can only be determined by absolute dating.

The oldest human fossils ever discovered indicate that humans originally lived on what continent?

• Africa

• Asia

• Australia

• Europe

List the appearance of the major hominids in chronological order.

• Australopithecus, Homo erectus, Homo habilis, Homo sapiens, Neanderthals

• Australopithecus, Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, Homo sapiens

• Australopithecus, Neanderthals, Homo sapiens, Homo erectus, Homo habilis

• Homo habilis, Australopithecus, Neanderthals, Homo erectus, Homo sapiens

Which types of tools did early humans create during prehistory?

• shovels made of copper

• hand axes made of stone

• wheelbarrows made of bronze and wood

• moving cranes made of iron and ropes

List the three eras, or time periods, of the Stone Ages in chronological order.

• Mesolithic Era, Neolithic Era, Paleolithic Era

• Mesolithic Era, Paleolithic Era, Neolithic Era

• Neolithic Era, Paleolithic Era, Mesolithic Era

• Paleolithic Era, Mesolithic Era, Neolithic Era

List the order in which early humans migrated to each continent, excluding Antarctica. Use the map below to help you.

• A) Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America

• B) Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, South America

• C) Africa, Europe, Australia, Asia, South America, North America

• D) Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, North America, South America

Which statement about early human migration is FALSE?

• A) People migrated because there were long periods of warming and cooling average temperatures.

• B) People migrated because there were long periods of drought and little rainfall.

• C) People migrated because there were changing landscapes such as the growth and shrinking of forests, grasslands, and deserts.

• D) People migrated because they wanted to find new lands and build their own countries.

How did some early humans successfully migrate from Asia to North America?

• They built boats out of wood and traveled across the ocean.

• They swam the short distance between the two continents.

• They walked across a land bridge after glaciers lowered sea levels.

• They floated on chunks of ice and hopped across glaciers.