Paleolithic Era
The Paleolithic Era was a period before written history, when people were nomadic hunter-gatherers. This means that they migrated from place to place, and they got their food through hunting animals and gathering plants. There were no cities established at this time, and no one knew how to farm. The only tools invented were the most basic hunting tools.
Location
The Paleolithic people migrated from place to place depending on season and food availability. They lived in houses that were quickly torn down because there was no point in building intricate houses they they would not stay in. Due to this, they ended up spreading all over the world after time. Paleolithic people originated in East Africa. However, by the end of the era they had migrated to Russia, Siberia, Europe, Asia, and even the Americas. There was also evidence of some boats from the period in Australia. This is truly amazing to think about because at this time, no animals were domesticated so they traveled everywhere by foot or rowboat.
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Food Production, Job Specialization, and Social Hierarchy
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The Paleolithic people got their food through hunting and gathering. Farming and domestication had not been invented yet, so people traveled from place to place to find new game. Due to this, there were only two main jobs: hunting and gathering. Most men were hunters and women were gatherers. This spurred on a different social hierarchy than most cultures. Women were equal to men, because there was no reason for them not to be. The main source of food was through gathering, so women never appeared to be a "less strong resource" than men. In fact, almost no one was higher than anyone else. Even if there was a tribe leader, there were no corrupt tribes. The main source of food was through gathering. so women never appeared to be a "less strong resource" than men.
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How Did They Grow Their Society?The Paleolithic people grew their society by journeying to far out lands, and not letting the fear of the unknown stop their adventuring. Instead, they kept on right with it and explored the whole world.
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Inventions/InnovationsThe Paleolithic people created spoken language so that communication was more clear. This probably started when they wanted a way to communicate when getting food. However, as time went on, it became a part of everyday life. Possibly even before spoken language though, cave paintings were created. This is the only piece of culture we have left behind from the Paleolithic era. The Paleolithic people also invented boats and very basic tools for hunting. There were no writing systems at this time.
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FUN FACTS!
The Neolithic people were actually less healthy than the Paleolithic people! The perks of being from Paleolithic times:
- Taller people with more teeth and less work hours
- No disease due to constant migration
- Healthier and longer lives