Unit 2: Early Humans
250,000 years BP – 3,000 BCE
Teacher Resources
Unit 2 Guide
Everything you need to know about Unit 2.
Unit 2 Vocab Guide
Key Unit 2 vocabulary words.
Vocabulary Guide
Strategies and routines for building vocabulary.
Frames Guide
A clear framework helps students examine history through different frames.
Data Literacy Guide
Clear, concise strategies to help teach data literacy and build student confidence with data visualizations.
What caused some humans to shift from foraging to farming and what were the effects of this change?
Our species—Homo sapiens—has been around for over 250,000 years. For almost all our history, our ancestors were foragers. But about 12,000 years ago, some people started to farm. In this unit, you’ll explore the consequences of that change.
Lesson 2.1
The Earliest Humans
What caused some humans to shift from foraging to farming and what were the effects of this change?
Paleolithic Humans
Our foraging ancestors migrated all over the Earth. They created art, recorded the passage of time, built tools, and told each other stories. Their travels and their tools left behind evidence that can help us understand how they lived.
Lesson 2.2
Migration and Art
Why did early humans move to new place and create art during this period?
Lesson 2.3
Foraging Societies
How did foragers build and maintain their communities?
Neolithic Revolution
The transition from foraging to farming is among the most consequential events in human history. It happened gradually, but agriculture eventually transformed every aspect of life on this planet. Did farming make our lives better or just busier?
Lesson 2.4
The Agricultural Revolution
Why did the Agricultural Revolution begin?
Lesson 2.5
The Biggest Mistake Humans Ever Made?
How could the development of agriculture be considered both good and bad for humanity?
Lesson 2.6
Unit 2 Writing Wrap Up
What caused some humans to shift from foraging to farming and what were the effects of this change?