Lesson 4: Sections 2 & 3

Creating a Stable Food Supply (Section 2, Part 1)

During the Paleolithic Age, people obtained food by hunting animals and gathering plants. They did not have a stable, or dependable, food supply. Wild plants and animals grew scarce when people stayed in one area for too long. Hunting was dangerous, and hunters were often injured or killed.

Gradually, people found ways to lessen their dependence on hunting and gathering. Instead of gathering wild plants, people discovered that they could plant seeds and harvest crops. Over time, farmers learned which seeds produced the most crops in the areas where they lived.

Creating a Stable Food Supply (Section 2, Part 2)

Early farmers also learned how to domesticate animals, or to raise and use them for people's needs. They raised sheep, goats, and cattle for the meat. Goats and cattle also provided milk. Mules helped carry heavy loads and pull plows.

These two developments—the growing of crops and the domestication of animals—are called agriculture. The Neolithic Age began with the invention of agriculture. For the first time, people had some control over their food supply. Let’s explore why this change was one of the most important advances in all of history.

Making Permanent Shelters (Section 3, Part 1)

The first great change agriculture brought about was the use of permanent shelters. During the Paleolithic Age, people had lived in caves or rough, tent-like structures. These were temporary shelters because hunter-gatherers were nomads who had to move often in order to follow wild animal herds or find new plants to eat. As people settled down to farm during the Neolithic Age, they built shelters that were more permanent.

In many areas of the world, people used mud bricks packed together to build houses that were round or rectangular in shape. Sometimes, people added stones and tree branches to the mud to strengthen the walls and roof. These houses had openings high in the walls. Historians think that people may have climbed ladders to reach the openings and enter the house.

 (Section 3, Part 2)

Inside were several rooms that had places to store food built right into the floor. Pits for cooking were also dug into the floor and lined with clay. People may have filled the pits with water, dropping in hot stones to make the water boil for cooking.

The development of permanent shelters was important in several ways. Houses gave people protection from harsh weather and wild animals and made life more comfortable. People could cook food in new ways. The long-lasting shelters enabled people to settle together in larger communities.