Neolithic Times

1. Neolithic Times New Stone Age

2. New Stone Age • About 8000 B.C. people started producing food • This brought about a great change in the way people lived – Farming • The beginning of Farming was the Neolithic Revolution

3. New Stone Age • Farming- people discovered that seeds from wild grains could be planted and harvested • Herding- people learned they could build a fence to enclose a herd of wild animals • Animals were killed one at a time- the rest saved for later • Captured animals lost fear of humans and became tame or domesticated

4. New Stone Age • People during this time bred animals to improve those animals qualities • Used animals such as donkeys, camels, and llamas as pack animals • The food supply increased, more food led to a growing population- about 5 million people in world at 8000 B.C. • People also lived longer- life expectancy average of 30 years

5. New Stone Age • Villages were established once people were able to produce food • They no longer needed to follow their food sources- most developed near fertile soil and a water supply • Earliest known villages are in southwestern Asia

6. New Stone Age • Jericho (between Israel and Jordon) • Abu Huerya (Syria) • Catal Huyuk (Turkey)

7. New Stone Age • Specialization- development of occupations • Less people were needed to produce food- so people started to do other things- potters, weavers, metal workers • Learned to bake clay to make pottery • Weave cloth

8. New Stone Age • Villages began to develop their own form of government • Single chiefs were chosen to keep order • Boundaries were set to protect belongings

9. New Stone Age • Most of the chiefs were also the priests • They handled the religious duties by offering prayers for good soil, healthy animals, rain • At first they worshipped the things in nature around them. • Eventually, Gods and Goddesses were created to represent these forces of nature • Religious customs also developed at this time