Early Man
ICSE Class 6 · History & Civics · Chapter 2
What this chapter covers
- Evolution of early humans
- Palaeolithic Age
- Mesolithic Age
- Neolithic Age
- Chalcolithic Age
- Cave paintings
Key points
- Early humans lived before writing, so all knowledge of them comes from fossils, tools, ash, pots and paintings.
- Evolution is very slow change over many generations; early humans learnt to walk upright, use their hands, think and speak.
- The Stone Age is divided into the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic Ages, followed by the Chalcolithic Age.
- Palaeolithic people were nomadic hunter-gatherers who used rough stone tools and discovered how to use and make fire.
- Mesolithic people used microliths fixed in handles to make arrows, harpoons and sickles.
- Neolithic people used polished stone tools, began farming, tamed animals, made pottery and settled in villages.
- Chalcolithic people used copper along with stone, farmed, and made fine painted pottery.
- The rock shelters of Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh have paintings of animals, hunting and dancing, and are a World Heritage Site.
Questions answered
What is evolution?
Evolution is the very slow change in living things over a great many generations.
Name any three kinds of evidence that tell us about early humans.
Any three: fossil bones and skulls, stone tools, ash from old fires, cave paintings, pots and beads.
What does Homo sapiens mean?
It means "wise man". All human beings living today belong to Homo sapiens.
Why were Palaeolithic people always on the move?
They were hunter-gatherers. They followed the animals they hunted and went to places where fruits, roots and other wild food were available in each season.
Give three ways in which the discovery of fire helped early humans.
Any three: it kept them warm; it kept wild animals away; it let them cook food; it gave light at night; it helped harden spear tips.
What is a microlith? How was it used?
A microlith is a very small, sharp stone tool. Several microliths were fixed into wooden or bone handles to make arrows, spears, harpoons, sickles and knives.
Which animal was probably the first to be tamed, and how did it help people?
The dog, which came from the wolf. It helped in hunting and guarded the camp.
How did farming lead to settled life?
Crops take months to grow and need looking after, and the harvest has to be stored. So farmers stayed in one place, built houses near their fields and lived together in villages.