- 460 crore years ago: Earth evolved.
- 20 lakhs years ago: Man starts to walk.
- 3 lakhs years ago: migration throughout the earth.
- 8000 years ago: Started cultivation
- 5000 years ago: Civilisation started
- Modern man..evolved.
The story of human evolution can be scientifically studied with the help of archaeology and anthropology.
In 1950s : people were walking, a few riding bicycles and buses appearing rarely on roads.
In 1850s : no buses, cart pulled by mules and bullocks, hose-drawn cart was a rare occurence.
8000 years back: people engaging in raising crops and livestock.
18,000 years ago: Human living in caves. They were using stone tools and bones for hunting.
Anthropologists have unearthed the footprints of humans in a country called Tanzania, which is in eastern Africa. They were found in rock beds submerged under the sand.
Archaeology is the study of pre historic humans remained materials used by pre historic humans. Excavated material remains are the main source for archaeological studies.
Radio carbon dating was used to ascertain the period. It was found out that the foot prints of humans they had discovered were about 3.5 millions years old.
When there is sudden change in nature, the living beings adapt themselves to the changes and survive.
Humans have thus evolved over millions of years adapting themselves to the changing times.
Human evolution means the process through which the humankind changes and develops towards an advanced stage of life.
The modern human has evolved with the following:
1. Humans in an erect position and walking on two legs happened much later.
2. Changes in thumb so that they can hold things tightly.
3. Development of brain.
Homo sapiens who migrated out of eastern Africa settled in different parts of the world.
Their lifestyle also evolved and they made it suitable to the environs in which they lived.
So humans in different places adopted different forms of lifestyle.
Their physique and complexion also differed based on the weather, climate and nature of the living place.
This resulted in the formation of different races.
Human procreation increased the population
Hunting Methods
1. Go as a group and hunt the prey.
2. Dig a pit and trap the animals and hunt.
Hunting and Food Gathering:
Millions of years ago, our ancestors led a nomadic life.
They lived in groups in a cave or a mountain range. Each group consisted of 30 to 40 people.
They kept on moving in search of food. They hunted pig, deer, bison, rhino, elephant and bear for food.
They also ate the animals killed by other wild animals like tiger.
They learnt the art of fishing. They collected honey from beehives, plucked fruits from the trees and dug out tubers from the ground.
They also collected grains from the forest. Once the food resources got exhausted in one area, they moved to another place in search of food.
They wore hides of animals and barks of trees and leaves to protect their bodies during winter. So humans began hunting to satisfy their need for food.
Art of Flaking
Keeping a stone in the bottom and sharpening it with another stone.
To make a stone tool, two stones were taken. One was used as a hammer to sharpen the other for removing flakes.
Stone Tools and Weapons
Hunting was the main occupation of humans in the past. It was difficult for humans to kill a big animal with a stick or a stone. So they decided to use sharpened weapons.
Why were axes made?
The axes were made to cut
trees, remove barks, dig pits, hunt
animals and remove the skin of animals.
Humans
discovered the use of fire.
At first, humans were afraid of fire
and lightning. Probably fire caused by
lightning had killed many wild animals.
Humans tasted the flesh of the killed
animals, which was soft and tasty. This
made humans aware of the effect of fire.
They used flint stone to make fire and
used it to protect them from predators,
for cooking food and for creating light
during night. Thus fire became important
for man in olden times.
The invention of wheel by humans is
considered to be the foremost invention. When humans saw the stones rolling down
from the mountains, probably they would
have got the idea of making the wheel.
The next human invention was
the wheel. This was the first scientific
invention of humans using their brain and
cognitive skills.
Pot Making:
Humans learned to make pot with
clay. The invention of wheel made pot
making easier, and the pots made were
burnt to make it stronger. They decorated
pots with lot of colours. The colour dyes
were made from the extracts of roots,
leaves or barks. These natural dyes were
used in rock paintings.
Hunting scene in which men and
women are taking part.
In fact, it is the first art of
humanity. Before the use of language,
humans expressed their feelings through
actions and also recorded it in rock
paintings.
Ancient Rock Paintings
In India, we can see many paintings
in rocks and caves. The rock paintings
give some information about the past.
Approximately there are 750 caves, in
which 500 caves have paintings. There
are many more undiscovered caves. The
rock paintings depict hunting pictures of
the male and the female, dancing pictures
and pictures of children playing.
. Due to large-scale
hunting in the mountain areas and in the
forests, many animals became extinct.
Non availability of meat forced the humans
to look for fruits and vegetables for food.
From Nomadic to Settled Life : The
World’s Earliest Farmers
The
seed of fruits and the nuts they ate were
thrown into the soil. During rains, the soil
gave it life. Some days later, the saplings
sprouted from the soil.
By observation
and logic, they learn that:
a. a plant grows from a single seed and
yields lots of fruits and vegetables.
b. seeds that fall in the river beds sprout
easily.
c. plants grow faster in water fed areas.
d. alluvial soil is more suitable for plant
growth than any other.
With the above knowledge they
gained, they realised that with proper
sowing and nurturing, they could increase
the number of plants more than the ones
that grew naturally. Thus agriculture
and farming came into existence. They
domesticated the animals and used them
in their farming.
Breeding of animals now became an
important part of their life. Oxen were used
for ploughing.
Oxen made the practice
of agriculture easier.
Life was becoming
organised than it was, when they were
hunting. It enabled them to settle down
in a place.
Now with settlement came
the problem of utensils and vessels for
cooking and storage. The potter’s wheel
and fire solved this problem.
The invention of plough helped the
farming practices. Farming started with the
clearing of land and burning the left-over
shrubs. They ploughed the land, sowed
seeds in them and harvested the produce.
During the pre historic period, humans lived in caves and depicted their daily events
in drawings. Mostly pictures of animals were drawn.
Once the fertility of the soil decreased,
they moved to a new place. Initially
agriculture was done for immediate food
requirement. Later when they found
out ways to increase production, they
started storing the produce. The food
products stored were used during the lean
harvest periods.
By their experience, they
understood that land close to the river side
was suitable for farming. So they decided
to stay there permanently.
Domestication of animals:
They found out that the dogs could sniff
other animals and chase them away.
So
humans found them useful for hunting.
Thus dogs became the first animal to be
domesticated by humans. Following the
dogs, they started domesticating hen,
goat and cow.
Permanent
settlement in a place increased the yield
of crops. Now they had grains in excess
of what they consumed.
The surplus
grains were exchanged with other
groups for the other things they were in
need of. This is called the barter system.
Thus trade and commerce developed and
towns and cities emerged.
Practice questions:
I. Choose the correct
answer
1. The process of
evolution is
.
a. direct b. indirect c. gradual d. fast
2. Tanzania is situated in the continent
of .
a. Asia b. Africa c. America d. Europe
II. Match the statement with the
Reason. Tick the appropriate
answer
1. Statement: Migration of man of
different Parts of the world resulted in
changes of physic and colour
Reason: climatic changes.
a. Statement is correct.
b. Reason is wrong.
c. Statement and Reason is correct.
d. Statement and Reason is wrong.
III. Find out the Right pair
a. Australopithecus - Walked on both
legs
b. Homo habilis - Upright man
c. Homo erectus - Wise man
d. Homo sapiens - Less protruding
face
Find out the states of each places mentioned below:
1. Adichanallur
2. Attirampakkam
3. Bhimbetka
4. Hunasagi Valley
5. Lothal
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