Prehistory

The first human beings

1. He stood up

and walked on

two feet.

2. His skull

became bigger

and he

developed

intelligence.

3. The jaw and

the teeth

became

smaller.

The human being has changed slowly.

This happened 2.5 million years ago.They arrived at the Iberian Peninsula 1

million years ago

It is the oldest period.It means “Ancient Stone Age”.Human beings made simple tools up of

STONE and WOOL.Different groups of men and women appeared

and they became more and more intelligent and capable.

They hunted bisons, mammoths, horses, deers…

They gathered fruit and roots.

They fished.

They lived in groups (bands or tribes).

They were NOMADS, so they did not have a permanent place to live. When food was finished they changed and looked for another place.

They lived outdoors or in caves.

They made up clothes from animal SKIN .

They discovered FIRE and used it to: COOK FOOD, HEAT, FRIGHTEN ANIMALS or GET LIGHT.

They used STONE to make TOOLS.

They painted animals they hunted.

They used natural paint using coal, blood, clay…

ALTAMIRA caves are very famous in Spain for its cave paintings.

They buried the dead and gave them a special treatment keeping their bodies with food, flowers and tools.

They sculpted the stones to represent women. They are called “Venus Figurines”.

It is the most recent period.It means “New Stone Age”.

They discovered AGRICULTURE and started CULTIVATING cereal, peas and lentils in the countryside.

They also discovered FARMING and learned how to DOMESTICATE animals (dogs, sheep, goats, pigs…)

They became SEDENTARY (lived in the same place). They did not go from one place to another in search of food.

They built the first SETTLEMENTS near rivers and surrounded by walls to protect themselves from animals and other human beings.

They built the huts with adobe (dried mud and straw)

HOES to dig.Stone SICKLES to

cut wheat.HAND MILLS to

grind seeds and make flour.

They discovered POTTERY and made pots, plates and bowls to cook.

Another important discovery was FABRIC. They started making clothes up of wool or linen using LOOMS.

MENHIR: a large standing stone.

DOLMEN: two or more vertical stones and a large stone across the top.

• CROMLECH: a circle of large standing stones.

It is divided in three periods:The COPPER AGE: it is the oldest period of

the age of metals. The BRONZE AGE

The IRON AGE: it is the most recent period of the age of metals.

They discovered metals.They got the metals from undergroud mines.

They learnt how to melt and make different objets (tools, jewels and weapons).

First they used BRONZE and later they used IRON.

They started building the first cities.They developed TRADE and EXCHANGED

products.

Jobs appeared for the very first time. 1. People who made

metalworking.

2. Potters. were people who made pottery,

3. Jewellers were people who made jewels.

4.Weavers were people who made cloths, fabrics…

Another new jobs were …

Soldiers were people who defended the town.

Traders, were people who bought and sold metal objects, clothes and pottery.

2

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They invented the WHEEL, the SAIL and the PLOUGH.

WRITING began to appear.