World History - 01

Pre-Historic Period

• The Pre-historic period is divided into four distinct 
  periods.
• Paleololithic Period (Old Stone Age) 5,000,000 - 10,000 BC
• Mesolithic Period (Late Stone Age) 10,000 – 4000 BC
• Neolithic period (New stone Age) 6000 – 1000 BC Chalcolithic Period (Metal Age)
• The earliest known primate (Plesiandapis) appeared on the earth towads 70,000,000 BC
• The possible ancestor of hominids (Proconsul) appeared in East Africa towards 20,000,00 BC
• Australopithecus was the first hominids on the earth, which appeared in East Africa towards 3,700,000 BC.
• Homohabilis was the first hominid tool maker, which appeared in Africa towards 2,100,000 BC.
• Zinjanthropus, which was found in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, is considered to be the earliest in the human species.
• ‘Java Man’ existed some seven lakh years ago in Java and ‘Peking Man’ who existed some three lakh years ago excavated from Peking in China are some humans of the Paleolithic Period.
• Most famous Paleolithic man was the Neandarthal Man who was discovered from Germany.

• Cromagnan (France) and Grimaldi (Itali) men belonged to the Middle Stone Age.
• Paleolithic people used tools and implements made of rough stone.
• They ate raw flesh and wild fruits and vegetables. They had no idea of agriculture. They belonged to the Negrito race.
• Paleolithic men led a nomadic life, ie, wandering from one place to another.
• Neolithic Age means the New Stone Age.
• People learnt the art of cultivation and the Neolithic Age was the food producing stage.
• They started using polished and sharp stone implements.
• Man began to domesticate animals during the Neolithic Age. Dog was the first animal domesticated by man.
• Wheat and Barley were the earliest cereals grown by man.
• ‘Potters Wheel’ was invented in the Neolithic Age.
• Paleolithic Age is known as the ‘Age of Hunters’ while the Neolithic Age is known as the ‘Age of Farmers’.
• Most polished weapon of the Neolithic Age was the ‘Stone axe’.
• Man discovered the use of jute and began to use cloth made of jute during the Neolithic period.
• Early men started the settled life in the Neolithic period.
• Earliest human villages appeared towards 6000BC in Egypt and Mesopotamia.
• The Barter system of exchange came into practice during the Neolithic period.
• Family life also began during the Neolithic Age.
• The concept of ‘State’ also originated during the Neolithic period.
• Chalcolithic Age is known as the Metal Age.
• First metal used by man was copper.
• Copper was first used to make ornaments and tools.
• The period when man began to use Bronze tools and weapons is known as Bronze Age.
• The period when man began to use iron is known as Iron Age.

Subscribe to PSC HELPER G.K by Email