Social Changes In Paleolithic Society

During the early years of the Paleo-Indian tribes, they exploited a wide variety of exotic plants and animals. Many of these animals were from the Ice Age. This research paper will discuss what kinds of tools they used for growing crops, hunting big animals like the woolly mammoth and the giant ground sloth and what they used them for besides a source of food.

The emergence of agriculture was a major stepping stone in human history. During this birth of agriculture, also known as the Neolithic revolution, humans began inhabiting permanent settlements, grow their own crops, and domesticate both plants and animals for food (Weisdorf, 2005). Considering humans have been hunter-gatherers for the majority of their approximately 7 million years of existence, the emergence of agriculture in the Old World only occurring 10,000-5,000 years ago, marks a significant transformation in food sustenance techniques (Weisdorf, 2005). However, this turning point in history is associated with both positive and negative implications. There is much controversy over whether or not the introduction of

The people of the Paleolithic Age were mostly nomads. To survive they had to travel everywhere, and follow the

From the early prehistoric society until now, we often heard the word “adaptation”, which means the process of changing something or changing our behavior to deal with new situations. The ways people adjust their natural environment varies according to time, place, and tribe. Foraging is common way of adaptation that people uses for most of human history; however because of the population pressure, some people adopt agriculture to fulfill their need. This essay, will discuss the positive and negative aspects of life in hunting and gathering societies compared to the agricultural societies based on Martin Harris’ article “Murders in Eden” and Jared Diamond’s article “The Worst Mistake in the History of Human Race.”

     There were changes that occurred from the Paleolithic Period to the Neolithic. Small changes were made in this time, from the culture, to bigger changes like economics, and agriculture. How did man deal with these changes and what kind of impact did it have on society?

Although it has been assumed for a long period of time that early Paleolithic people have a very uninteresting and uniform history, studies have shown that many cultures of the time have demonstrated many different ways of expressing beliefs, relationships with others, and ways of getting food by hunting and gathering.

Farming initially developed in the Middle East, the Fertile Crescent. Grains such as barley and wild wheat were abundant. Also, not heavily forested, and animals were in short supply, presenting a challenge to hunters. 10,000 BCE to 8,000 BCE. Notice: it took thousands of years for this “revolution” so not fast but profound for history. Agriculture was hard for many hunting and gathering peoples to adopt – lots of work. Those in agricultural communities developed diseases, which they became immune. The agricultural people would unintentionally infect the hunters.

In a period of complete change beknownst to us as the Neolithic Revolution, some groups of nomads deserted their “normal” way of life and began to settle down in villages and use agrarian methods to make a living for themselves. Two examples would be the Chumash of Southern California and the San of South Africa. Although the Chumash and the San both led a gathering and hunting way of life, they are ultimately two completely different civilizations, embodying unique political organizations, social structures and hierarchies, distinct economic foundations and individual sets of differing values.

However, with the remains of their pieces of tools and other goods across the lands in different villages it can be speculated that some groups of Native Americans had social relations with others, or had mobile groups spread across the lands. For example, the clovis was an instrument used for hunting by the Paleo-Indian groups. The Clovis and Folsom peoples, and has been found in animal and village remains across the land. Judging that their groups traveled a lot this means that they built social connections with other groups. Leaving behind many small villages of fewer people for archaeologists to excavate. Additionally, social constrictions are seen in the people who follow after the Paleo-Indian peoples who focused more on hunting and gathering, but relied heavily more on natural foods such as fruits and nuts. As a result of this gathering technique for food supply, more villages were formed beginning with the archaic peoples. I believe this had led to the evolution of larger populations in native villages as I had read throughout Plog’s book that the villages got bigger with the increased use farming agricultural goods such as maize and beans. Rather than small campsites, villages rose as a result such as the Shabik’eschee peoples in Chaco Canyon. The development of village life led to new cultural customs such as cremation of the dead and preserved

Political, economic, and social conditions have often led to turning points that have changed the course of history for nations and people. The Paleolithic Era and Neolithic Revolution was a turning point that changed the orbit of history for mankind. In Documents 1, 2, and 4, they explain life before the Neolithic Revolution and what changed during the period and provide an analysis of results of the revolution. They introduce food supply and settlement, and civilization and trade.

Although people often think of ancient peoples as similar in their primitive ways, scientists and researchers are constantly finding new evidence that shows remarkable distinctions among Paleolithic peoples. This new information adds to our knowledge of their various cultures and provides opportunities for modern people to appreciate the depth and achievements of their ancient ways of life. Two tribes, the San and the Chumash, are useful to study, as they demonstrate how two peoples that were contemporaries could form such differing ways of living and thinking.

One condition about the Paleolithic Era were living through three glacial ice ages. The climate was overall mild there and the conditions were okay until conditions started to deteriorate and cool down. Humans were able to adapt into colder conditions. (Big History Book) Another great characteristic added to the Paleolithic Era was foraging. It was viewed as hunter gathering. All of their food were plants, roots, nuts, and animals . They were migrating to far places, gathering local plants and scavenging for huge animals. They did this to supplement their family. (Big History Book) Another characteristic that was used in their advance were stone tools – blades, flakes, and hand axes. They used there to hunt huge animals and eventually killed them with one of these stone tools. Also they would use these stone tools to break nuts and plants to make a meal. (History World, 2000) These people also lived in small groups up to ten to twenty people. Small groups were better for their community to carry out special tasks. They were able to supply all of the people with food, not too much or too little. Small groups’ society did not consist of governments or police, or any organization of order, but everything done was “within family”. Within the group, they were able to exchange gifts, ideas, and information; made marriages; conducted rituals and played games with each other. Gift giving played a huge role in small groups because it maintained reciprocity, good relationships

During the Paleolithic Age, men would hunt for their food and sometimes did not know if or what they would eat as their next meal. The Neolithic Age changed all that. Men began to learn about breeding animals for a constant supply of food instead of only hunting for food. The men began to move around to search for land that was suitable to grow plants and breed appropriately to survive on. Many men began to forget about just hunting and started the breeding process, realizing they would have more food that way. Along with breeding the animals, the men began to grow plants to eat as well. The men became farmers and herdsman, the label of “hunters” became a fast and faded memory.

These were not tribes but language families that comprised many language groups. Numerous tribes also spoke languages unrelated to any of the above. These tribes are believed to have lived off the land as hunters and gathers. (4)

The Paleolithic period was also known as the Stone Age, it was known to begin about 2.5 to 2 million years ago. Although people do not know every single detail about this group of people at this time, we do know a little that can help us understand them. Throughout time we begin to understand things that they used to survive. This was the first time we can see people using tools and weapons made out of stone. It helped them perform tasks that were necessary. Crafted to help men and women fulfil the duties they needed to survive. In a time where homo-sapiens lived in groups of up to 20-30 people. It was always known as the roll of the men to hunt for a steady supply of food and the women to gather necessities such as fruits, vegetables, and