The document summarizes the evolution of tools used by different hominid species over millions of years, from early hominids like Australopithecus afarensis that used simple found tools, to Homo habilis who began crafting stone tools, to later species like Homo erectus, Neanderthals, and Homo sapiens who developed more advanced hunting tools like spears and bows and arrows. It traces how tools became more sophisticated as hominids grew smarter and needed to adapt skills like hunting larger prey. The evolution of tools paralleled the evolution of human intelligence and abilities.

1. By: Hayley Ford

2. Introduction
Humans didn’t always look the way they do
know. Over millions of years humans
evolved from apes to the humans we know
today. Humans and dinosaurs never
existed on earth at the same time as
humans. Every stage of humans are called
hominids. Hominids became smarter and
more knowledgeable through the ages. As
they became smarter their tools and
methods of hunting became more
advanced.

3. Australopithecus afarensis
The first stage of hominid was
Australopithecus Afarensis. At this point of
human life these ape-humans were not
smart enough to create their owns tools.
They used tools they found or that nature
had created. One example of a tool that A a
used was a stick in which they stuck into a
termite mound, then the termites clung to it
letting the ape pull out the stick covered in
food. These and other simple nature made
tools began the evolution of tools through
the evolution of human life. A a were
hunters and gatherers and hadn’t yet
learned how to create hunting tools.

4. Homo habilis
Homo hablilis was the first stage of human life
that made their own tools. The first material H h
used to make tools was stone. They began to
smash rocks against each other to create a
sharp edge on one of the rocks, this process is
called knapping. During this period they learned
how to get meat of a carcass, and how to open
the bones to reach marrow. This began the
creation of tools. Homo habilis were still
gatherers and scavengers, but their thinking was
more advanced than Australopithecus Afarensis.
H h learned to cut, pound, crush food.

5. Homo erectus
Homo erectus created more advanced tools
than the two life stages before its time. The
most popular tool archaeologists have found
are stone hand axes. An important tool to the
Homo erectus was fire. It wasn’t a hunting tool,
though when they learned to create it they also
realized it could be used to their advantage. In
the life span of the Homo erectus they also
used learned how to create traps and snares.
Stone axes and knives were commonly used
too.

6. Homo sapien
Neanderthalensis
Homo sapien Neanderthalensis closely
resembled the modern human. This means
they were smarter than the three hominids
before them allowing them to create better
tools. These humans were extremely good
hunters. This hominid used harpoons and
spears as well as the tools human had used
before them. They were able to hunt large
bears which shows that they had good enough
tools to hunt larger animals. Tips on all hunting
tools were sharper allowing safer hunting.
They used different kinds of stone for tool
making including all forms of hard and soft
stone.

7. Homo sapien Cro-
Magnan
This hominid hunted as a group to kill animals,
they used different tools than other humans too.
One of the most important things the Homo
sapien Cro-Magnan discovered was the ability
to fish. They used nets and hooks made from
antlers to catch fish and other water life. This
hominid continued to use traps and snares
though they were more advanced. In their
hunting they targeted mostly big prey like
mammoths, cave bears, and horses. Homo
sapien Cro-magnon hunted in groups, a skill
that none of the other hominids used. Another
very important invention this hominid was the
bow and arrow.

8. Homo sapien sapien
The homo sapien sapioen homind is one that
began a long time ago, but also includes
modern humans. This hominid used all of the
tools humans before them had invented
though they created their own tools as well.
The most important discovery the Homo
sapien sapien was how to farm. This changed
the face of hunting and tools forever. Now
most people hunting is not a common form of
finding food so a lot of the tools other hominids
used are not in use anymore. Homo sapien
sapien hunted, gathered and sacvenged food.

9. Conclusion
In conclusion tools over the ages have
changed a lot. From only using nature
made tools to the complex mechanical
mechanisms we use today humans have
become smarter over the years as well as
more efficient and knowledgeable. The six
hominids all contributed to the history and
development of tools.

10. Text Bibliography
 http://www.ecotao.com/holism/hu_habilis.htm
 http://www.livescience.com/health/091111-origin-tool-use.html
 http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species/homo-
habilis
 Textbook- Other Places, Other Times
 Textbook- Ancient Worlds

11. Picture Bibliography
 http://www.ashtonfarm.demon.co.uk/early_hominid_evolution/a_afarensis.
htm
 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Australopithecus_afarensis.JPG
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/mharrsch/116012103/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucianaluciana/3018480596/
 http://alyssaworldstudies.blogspot.com/2009/02/this-is-picture-of-lucy.html
 http://ijanpromoters.blogspot.com/2009_02_01_archive.html
 http://www.lithiccastinglab.com/gallery-
pages/2005aprilhistoryofflintknappingpage1.htm
 https://www.msu.edu/~robin400/neanderthalensis.html
 http://www.kidspast.com/world-history/0015-neanderthals-and-tools.php
 http://leseyziesdetayac.info/articles/discovery-of-the-cro-magnon
 http://mybllogisbetterthansarahsblog.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.h
tml
 http://library.thinkquest.org/08aug/01930/history/stoneage.html