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Table of Contents
Prehistory, meaning before history, is the span of time before recorded history or the invention of writing systems. It refers to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it can refer to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing.
See the fact file below for more information on the Prehistoric Period or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Prehistoric Period worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
GENERAL FACTS
- Earth is 4.5 billion years old, but humans have only walked on the planet for 190,000 years. The earliest living organisms were microscopic bacteria that showed up in fossils as early as 3.4 billion years ago.
- Many things have happened in that time. Earth formed, and oxygen levels rose. About 800 million years ago, oxygen levels reached about 21% and began to breathe life into more complex organisms. The oxygen-rich ozone layer was also established, protecting the Earth’s surface from harmful solar radiation.
LAND BEFORE HUMANS
- The formal geologic time begins at the start of the Archean Eon (4 to 2.5 billion years ago) and continues to the present day.
- Modern geologic time scales include the Hadean Eon, which is an informal interval that extends from about 4.6 billion years ago to 4.0 billion years ago.
- Basic life only began in the Phanerozoic Eon, which means “visible life”, about 541 million years ago.
- Most of our knowledge of the fossil record comes from the three eras of the Phanerozoic eon: the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic.
- The Paleozoic (“old life”) era was inhabited by trilobites, the first four-limbed vertebrates, and the original land plants.
- The Mesozoic (“middle life”) era represents the “age of dinosaurs” and the first appearances of mammals and flowering plants.
- The Cenozoic (“new life”) era, also called the “age of mammals”, is the era during which we live today.
- The Prehistoric Period dates from 2.5 million years ago to 1,200 B.C.
- It is categorized in three archaeological periods: the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age.
THE STONE AGE
- The Stone Age was roughly 2.5 million years ago to 3,000 B.C.
- It was divided into three periods: Paleolithic (or Old Stone Age), Mesolithic (or Middle Stone Age), and Neolithic (or New Stone Age).
- Early humans lived in caves, simple huts, or tepees and were hunters and gatherers.
- They were known to use basic stone and bone tools, as well as crude stone axes, for hunting birds and wild animals.
- They cooked their prey, such as the woolly mammoths, deer, and bison, using controlled fire. They also learned to fish and collect berries, fruits, and nuts.
- Ancient humans in the Paleolithic period were the first to leave behind evidence of their existence through art.
- Combinations of minerals, ochres, burnt bone meal, and charcoal were mixed into water, blood, animal fats, and tree sap to etch humans, animals, and signs.
- They also carved small figurines from stones, clay, bones, and antlers.
- This art showed that mastodons, saber-toothed cats, giant ground sloths, and other megafauna roamed during that time.
- Agriculture was eventually introduced during this time, so nomads settled permanent settlements and villages.
- The end of this period marked the end of the last Ice Age, resulting in the extinction of large mammals, rising sea levels, and climate change that eventually led man to migrate.
THE BRONZE AGE
- The Bronze Age lasted from 3,000 B.C. to 1,300 B.C.
- During the Bronze Age, metalworking was more advanced. Bronze, copper, and tin alloy were discovered.
- Middle Eastern Ancient Sumerians may have been the first to enter the Bronze Age.
- The Bronze age brought advances in architecture and art, including the invention of the potter’s wheel and clothing made mostly of wool for skirts, kilts, tunics, and cloaks.
- Homes developed into roundhouses, consisting of a circular stone wall with a thatched or turf roof, complete with a fireplace or hearth.
- Villages and cities began to form, so organized government, law, warfare, and the beginnings of religion also developed.
- Well-known civilizations include Ancient Egypt, Babylonia, Assyria, Greek, and the Chinese.
- The Bronze Age ended around 1,200 B.C. in the Middle East, North Africa, and Mediterranean Europe.
THE IRON AGE
- The Iron Age paved the way for metallurgy and lasted roughly from 1,200 B.C. to 600 B.C.
- The use of iron became more extensive since people learned how to make steel, a much harder metal, by heating iron with carbon.
- The Iron Age opened further advances in architecture, with four-room homes, stables for animals, rudimentary hill forts, royal palaces, temples, and other religious structures being developed.
- City planning also took place, with blocks of homes erected along paved or cobblestone streets. Water systems were also put into place.
- Agriculture, art, and religion all became more sophisticated, as well as writing systems and written documentation.
- Alphabets also began to emerge – leading to the Early Historical Period.
- The Persian Empire flourished, Greece experienced its Classical Era, and Celtics lived across most of Europe.
- The end of the Iron Age was believed to be around 550 BC, when Herodotus, “The Father of History”, began writing The Histories.
- In Scandinavia, it ended closer to 800 AD, with the rise of the Vikings.
- Meanwhile, in Western and Central Europe, the end of the age was during the Roman conquest in the first century BC.
Prehistoric Period Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the Prehistoric Period across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Prehistoric Period worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Prehistory, meaning before history, which is the span of time before recorded history or the invention of writing systems. It refers to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it can refer to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Prehistoric Period Facts
- World Before Humans
- The Longest Age
- The Stone Age Art
- Bronze Age Puzzle
- Bronze Age Coloring
- Life in the Iron Age
- Leaders of the Iron Age
- What Age are We in?
- Stone v Bronze v Iron
- A Lasting Impression
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Link will appear as Prehistoric Period Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, July 5, 2020
Use With Any Curriculum
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