SUBJECT: History
CLASS: 1
DATE: 14/06/2021
INTRODUCTION:
Before Christ (BC) / Before Common Era (BCE):
Infinity – 10,000 BC – 1 BC
Anno Domino (AD) / Common Era (CE):
1 AD – 2021 AD
History is classified into 3:
Ancient History
Medieval History
Modern History
History: Important past event with recorded evidence
Pre-History: No recorded evidence (Stone Age)
Proto-History: Recorded evidence but not deciphered
History started during the Aryan Invasion.
Studied through reliable sources:
Inscriptions (since inscriptions might not contain false information)
Coins
Literature sources (Books)
Archaeological sources
Archaeological sources includes carbon dating, uranium dating and advanced carbon dating (using mitochondria).
Pre-historic period:
Human lineage:
Human evolution – Assumed to have totally 23 stages.
Last 4 stages:
Homo habilis (Chimpanzee like body structure)
Homo erectus (Upright human – erection of spinal cord)
Homo neanderthalensis – (Changes in nose, mouth, closing of fist)
Homo sapiens (Human – palaeolithic period)
Pre-historic period – mind map:
Pre-history:
Stone Age
Old Stone Age (Paleolithic)
Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic)
New Stone Age (Neolithic)
Metal Age
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Stone Age:
Period before the development of script.
Likely to have first evolved in Africa.
Human evolution theories – African theory, Lemurian theory.
Numerous evidences dated back to 10,000 BC. (Since important stages of human development assumed to have occurred during this period).
Earliest human ancestors – Homo erectus assumed to migrate out of Africa.
Presence of earliest human ancestors (Homo erectus) in India assumed to be dated back to 1 to 2 million years ago.
Continental Drift theory:
Million years ago – super continent Pangea – divided to Angara (northern part) and Gondwana (southern part) – further divided to different continents.
Present day India assumed to be formed during 600 BC.
Paleolithic period:
Also called Old Stone Age – earliest stage in history.
Period: 2 million BC to 10,000 BC.
Classified into 3 periods:
Lower Paleolithic Age
Middle Paleolithic Age
Upper Paleolithic Age
Mostly early humans depend on animals for food.
At first humans were assumed to use big stones to kill animals.
Around 20,000 BC, small sharp and compact stones were assumed to be used.
Acheulian tools found to be used during the end of lower Paleolithic age. Sharp stones assumed to be craved with another stone which might have led to the discovery of fire in this period.
Acheulian tools:
Early (Big stones with sharp edges)
Medieval (Small stones with sharp edges)
Later (Hand axe like stones)
(Acheulian tools first discovered in St. Acheulian – a city in present day France in 18th century)
Lower Paleolithic Age:
In India, 1st Paleolithic tools were found in Pallavaram in Chennai in 1863 by Robert Bruce Foote.
Evidence of Hominin (Homo sapiens) rarely found in India (Athirampakkam) as a fossil fragment.
Evidences of Homo erectus in Hathnaro near Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh. (The found cranium named as Narmada Human).
Other evidences found in Bhimbetka (Madhya Pradesh) and Gudiyam (Chennai).
Pre-historic human ancestors assumed to have used sound words and sign language for communication.
Evidences of Homo Neanderthalensis are found in European countries and not in South Asia.
Middle Paleolithic Age:
Modern humans emerged about 3 lakh years ago.
In India, evidences found in Pravara river at Nevasa (Maharashtra).
Recently found in Athirampakkam dated back to 3.85 to 1.72 lakh years BP (Before Present).
Flake Industry predominantly found in Middle Paleolithic period – Scrapers – Compact Sharp tools (similar to knife).
In Africa, evidences of Homo sapiens found in Middle Paleolithic Age – associated with Neanderthalensis in Europe.
Upper Paleolithic Age:
Microliths are found in this age.
Period 40,000 to 10,000 BP (Before Present).
Evidences in Kurnool caves and Son Valley in Madhya Pradesh.
Beads and Ornaments (made by lithic blade) found in this period. This shows they gave importance to beautification (started to come out of caves).
Evidences of green color paintings of animals in Bhimbetka. Assumed to be used to teach and train the tribal to kill animals.
Credits : Leo Subheksha Kumar
