Unit 8. Answer key

1. 1 ESO. UNIT 8: PREHISTORY. ANSWER KEY.
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1. Prehistoryreferstothe periodbefore humankindinventedwriting. Itbeganwiththe
evolutionof the earlyancestorsof humansinAfricaabout5 millionyearsagoandended5,000
yearsago when writingwasinvented.
Hominizationisthe longprocessbywhichhumanancestors evolvedintothe modernhumans
and graduallyacquiredthe characteristicsthatmake usdifferentfromthe otherprimates.
2. The firstearly‘humans’appearedinAfrica.
3. a) The stagesof prehistoryare the PalaeolithicAge,the NeolithicAge,andthe Metal Age.
b) Each stage beginsandendswithan importantadvance:the emergenceof individualswith
some human-likecharacteristics,the developmentof agriculture,andthe use of metalsfor
tools.c) The longestof these periodsbyfaristhe PalaeolithicAge,whichlastedformillionsof
years.d) The periodisdepictedwithabrokenline because abar at thisscale extendingback5
millionyearswouldbe toolongtobe includedinthe book.
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4.
Speciesname Date of appearance Characteristics
Ardipithecus 4.4 millionyearsago 1 metre tall,bipedal,ate fruitsandvegetables.
Australopithecus 4.0 millionyearsago 1.5 metrestall,small brain.
Homo habilis 2.5 millionyearsago Taller,largerbrain,firsttomake and use tools.
Homo erectus 1.5 millionyearsago Larger brain,firstto leave Africa,make fire.
Homo antecessor 800,000 yearsago Still largerbrain,firstfoundinEurope.
Neanderthal 200,000 yearsago Quite like humans,thoughshorterand
stronger,andwithlargerbrains.Buriedtheirdead.
Homo sapiens 195,000 yearsago Createdcomplex languages,art.
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1. Fire was probablyfirstdiscoveredasa resultof lightning.Later,once earlyhumanslearned
to make fire,itchangedtheirlivessignificantly,providingasource of lightandheat,a way to
cook food,anda weaponto scare off predators.

2. Page 132
1. This photoof the Palaeolithicburial site suggeststhatpeople believedinlife afterdeath.
Considerableceremonyclearlysurroundedsome people’sfunerals,andtheywere buriedwith
decorative oruseful objectsthattheycoulduse inthe nextlife.
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2. Understandingthe beliefsof people who livedsolongagoisdifficult,butburial sites,
artefacts,andespeciallyartworkprovide some ideas.Cave paintingsandsmall statuesshow
that huntingandfertilitywerecentral totheirlivesandbeliefs.
3.
Palaeolithiccave Animalsdepicted Exist today?
TitoBustillo Horses,bison Yes
El Pindal Horses,deer,bison,mammoth… Yes
Santimamiñe Horses,bison,wolves Yes
Ekain Horses,bears,deer,bison,salmon,
humanfiguresandhands Yes
El Pendo Horses, deer,bison,birds Yes
Altamira Horses,bison,wildboar,deer,humanhands Yes
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2. The mainchangesfor humankindduringthe Neolithicperiodwere the spreadof agriculture
and the domesticationof animals.These changeshave beencalled a‘revolution’inhuman
development.
3. People of the periodbecame sedentaryinthe sense thattheywere nolongernomadic,
were lessdependentonthe hunt,andbecame more adeptat specializedworksuchasfarming
and craftsmanship.
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2. Iron – the strongestmetal.
Copper– the firstmetal tobe used.
Bronze – a mixture of metals

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1.
Characteristics Palaeolithic Neolithic Metal Age
Period 5 millionyears agoto 10,000 years ago to 7,000 years ago to
10,000 years ago 7,000 years ago 5,000 years ago
Where didthey live? Caves andhuts Small villages Towns andcities
What didthey eat? Gatheredvegetation, Foodfrom agriculture Food from agriculture
huntedmeat and livestock farming and livestockfarming
Tools Stone, bone, wood Sophisticatedstonework Copper, bronze
Discoveriesand inventions Fire Loom, pottery Wheel, sail, plough
Beliefsandart Power of natural forces; Natural forces; cave art, Megalithic monuments,
cave art andstatuettes pottery, simple jewellery like menhirs anddolmens