Early Humans
1. How Did Early Humans Live?
Long, long ago, people did not live the way we do today.
- They did NOT have houses. They lived in CAVES.
- They did NOT grow food. They HUNTED animals and GATHERED fruits, roots, and berries. Because of this, they are called hunter-gatherers.
- They used STONE TOOLS, so this time is called the Stone Age. They shaped stones into axes, knives, and scrapers.
2. The Discovery of Fire
'Fire was the GREATEST discovery of early humans.'
Fire changed their lives completely. It gave them:
- LIGHT during the dark night.
- WARMTH in the cold.
- Protection from WILD ANIMALS, who were afraid of fire.
- COOKED FOOD, which was tastier and easier to eat and digest.
3. Cave Paintings
Early humans liked to PAINT on the walls of their caves. They drew:
- ANIMALS such as bison, deer, and horses.
- HUNTING SCENES showing how they caught their food.
These paintings are THOUSANDS of years old, but we can still see some of them today — for example, in the Bhimbetka caves in Madhya Pradesh, India.
4. From Hunter-Gatherers to Farmers
Thousands of years passed, and humans slowly LEARNED new things:
- They learned to plant SEEDS and grow CROPS.
- They learned to tame animals and keep CATTLE and SHEEP.
- They built SETTLEMENTS and began to live together in VILLAGES.
'This was the BEGINNING of civilisation' — the start of the kind of life we live today.
New Words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hunter-gatherer | A person who hunts animals and gathers wild food |
| Stone Age | The early time when people used stone tools |
| Settlement | A place where people build homes and live together |
| Civilisation | An advanced, settled way of living together |
Fun Activity
Imagine you are an early human. Draw a cave painting of an animal you might have hunted, the way they did on cave walls.
Self-Test
Q1: Where did early humans live?
Q2: Why are early humans called hunter-gatherers?
Q3: Why was fire such an important discovery?
Q4: Where can we still see ancient cave paintings in India?
Q5: What did early humans learn that turned them into farmers?
Answers
A1: In CAVES. A2: Because they HUNTED animals and GATHERED wild fruits, roots, and berries. A3: It gave them light, warmth, protection from wild animals, and cooked food. A4: In the Bhimbetka caves in Madhya Pradesh. A5: To plant seeds, grow crops, tame animals, and build villages.
