How did humans live in the Stone Age?
The Homo Habilis or the ‘skilful’ humans developed about 2.5 million years ago. They produced stone tools, lived in small groups, and moved from one place to another like nomads when food became scarce. Ater mastering the fire, humans wandered to cooler Europe and Asia. Humans learned to cultivate the land and keep the cattle and pets. The Stone Age ended when humans learned to obtain metals from ores.
How did humans discover fire?
Fires in the steppes or bushes scared humans earlier. Gradually, they learned to appreciate the power of fire. It gave them light and warmth and kept away wild animals. They could harden the tips of wooden spears and cook meat in them. About 7,00,000 years ago, humans started to protect themselves from the fire started accidentally by lighting. Soon they learned to produce fire, by striking flintstone and pyrite with each other or by rubbing lumbers. The spark was used to ignite tinder fungus, a kind of mushroom. The discovery of fire is one of the most important achievements of humans. Without it, we could not have developed to the stage where we are today.
What did the Stone Age humans feed on?
They collected plants, honey, and bird’s eggs, or went hunting. They drove away the smaller animals living in pits with the help of fires and torches. Neanderthals even hunted larger animals. They made groups of ten or more and killed mammoths, rhinos, or bison from the nearest point with spears. The parts of the animals, which they did not eat, were utilized in other ways. Nothing went unused. Weapons, tools, and jewelry were made from bones, tendons
became ropes, and skin and hide were used to make clothes and tents. Even today there are races that live as hunters and collectors, such as Bushmen, also known as San, in Namibia and Botswana in southern Africa.
When did humans start domesticating animals?
The dog was the first animal domesticated by humans in 15,000 years. Humans fed the dog’s wolf ancestors and in return, they protected them from dangerous animals. Over a period of time, these animals were domesticated and became good companions. About 10,000 years ago humans started domesticating other wild animals too like sheep and goats in the Middle East; cows, pigs, horses, and poultry in Europe; lama and turkey in America. The domesticated animals provided meat, milk, skin, and wool.
How did humans make tools?
In the Stone Age, humans chipped off splinters from flintstones with a hard stone and shaped them to make hand axes, spears, and arrow tips or sickles. They then observed that metal ran out of a greenish-blue stone in fire, which led to the creation of copper. In the Near East, copper and zinc were melted since the 4th century BC to make hard bronze, which became the most essential material for tools, weapons, and jewelry. Bronze became known in Europe later. The Bronze Age was followed by the Iron Age. Although iron was more difficult to make, it was harder than bronze.
How did the nomads become cultivators?
Humans had been observing how new plants grew from seeds for a long time. They used this knowledge about 10,000 years ago and sowed seeds of plants which they could get with difficulty. Simple cultivation devices were made from wood and stone. When the crops became bigger, humans settled down near the fields and created reserves. Instead of looking for food, they now improved their tools and weapons. As a result, handicraft was born, which changed their lifestyle. Their period is known as the ‘Neolithic Revolution.
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