The New Stone Age. Covers development of agriculture, domestication of plants and animals, irrigation systems, migration to Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent.

1. The New Stone Age
The Neolithic Era
Began as early as 10,000 years ago in Southwest
Asia
Click for Sing-a-long
Song

2. Big Idea
The development of
agriculture brought great changes to
human society.
Main Ideas:
O The first farmers learned to grow plants and
raise animals in the New Stone Age
O Farming changed societies and the way people
lived.
Video- stone age comparison

3. If you were there…
OScenario:
As a gatherer you know where to find
the sweetest fruits. Every summer, you
eat many of these fruits, dropping the
seeds on the ground. One day you
return to find new plants everywhere.
You realize the plants have grown from
your dropped seeds.
Q: How could this discovery change
your life?

4. Consider this….
FOOD changes:
O Can plant seeds &
grow food
O Will have more
stable food supply
O Will not have to
gather plants
O Will not have to
follow herds
Other Changes
 We will be able to
feed more people
 Will have more time
for activities other
than finding food
 Will be able to
settle in one place
Q: How can this discovery
change your life?

5. Development of Agriculture
O Neolithic Revolution-Shift from food gathering
to food producing
O Domestication of plants and animals
O Warming led to growth of wild barley and wheat
plants (grains)
O Tools:
O polished stone saws and
drills
O Learned to make fire
O Developed new metal
tools

6. Domestication of Animals
Pros:
O Hunters didn’t have to follow herds anymore
O Sheep or goats were kept for milk, food, and
wool
O Cattle could carry heavy loads or pull large tools
used in farming
O The use of animals in farming greatly improved
people’s chances of surviving
Cons:
O Having animals live close to people and
communities caused new diseases in humans.

7. Fertile Crescent
O Crops grow well near rivers where water is
readily available and regular floods make the
soil rich.
O Mesopotamia- “between two rivers” in Greek
O Problem: early settlers needed to learn how to
control the flow of the river to their field
throughout the year.
O Solutions: Irrigation and canals
O Result: Surplus of food and
division of labor
Workbook pages 14-15

9. Catal Huyuk- Turkey
O One of the earliest known farming villages
discovered (8,000 years ago)
O Home to 5,000- 6,000 people living in 1,000 houses
O They:
O Farmed
O Hunted
O Fished
O Traded with distant lands
O Worshiped gods in special shrines
O As villages & communities grew-the
need for government arose.
Textbook pages 42-43:
How did farmers get
water to their fields?

12. Quick Check
Changes in Details
Climate
Use of plants
Use of animals
Daily life
-Warms over time allowing grains to grow
easily
-People adapt to the temperatures as they
migrate-changing plants to grow largest or sweetest
-seeds planted for food
-fiber plants for making clothing
-domesticated for food, milk, wool/ fur
-used to carry heavy loads or pull large
farming tools
-new division of labor (no longer needed as
many hunters)
-built & maintained permanent home and
fields