Week 1

In reading the chapters this week there were two ears that were covered. The first chapter was speaking on the Paleolithic era. This era was about the first humans (homo sapiens) from about 250,000 years ago. They started in Africa and then moved to other parts of the world.  About 100,000 years ago humans ended up near what is now the Middle East. Then on to Europe and Asia about 40,000 to 70,000 years ago. With the technology of boats humans moved on to Australia about 40,000 to 60,000 years ago. During the Ice Age humans took advantage and moved to what is now North America about 30,000 ago. This was due to the earth creating a kind of Ice Bridge to cross into the other continents. Then continued on to South America some 12,500 years ago.

I think due to the cold environmental conditions during the ice age humans were lucky enough to take advantage and spread out much more over the earth. Without that period in time humans would have migrated slowly.  I also believe using technology by constructing boats enabled travel in a new form humans became much more adaptable to the earth. The Cushman tribe of Southern California used boats and it gave them wealth and power. To be able to travel not only by land but by sea for the first time must have given them a lot of pride. The Cushman tribe boat making people created a special society called the Brotherhood of Tomol. People of this group were considered elite. I think when things like this happened it must have added the social hierarchy for humans to learn. 

The next era was called the Neolithic era. This was considered the agricultural era of humans. This to me was a very important era. By coming up with a system for food humans could spend more time on other activities and have the energy to foster new ideas for technology. Since by now humans were spread out over the earth they had to adapt to their environments. Growing corn in South and North America became a major staple for agriculture in that part of the world. I did not know corn was so different looking back then.