Prehistory- The period of time before writing was invented
Did You Know:
Prehistory: Digging up the Past
To learn about life in prehistoric times, scientists must rely on clues other than written records. Scientists known as archaeologists examine objects to learn about past people and cultures. They sift through the dirt of prehistoric camps to find bones, tools, and other objects. These objects may tell them something about the people who lived there. For example, the size of spear points made from a stone called flint show what kinds of game the people hunted. To kill big game such as bears, hunters had to use large, heavy spear points. Such points, however, would not work very well with birds and small animals.
History: A Record in Writing
Historians do not have to rely on the objects discovered by archaeologists to learn about the past. They study the written records of human life and accomplishments to understand a society- its wars, its religion, and its rulers, among other things. Historians also look at what other groups living at the same time wrote about that society. Written records studied by historians often began as oral traditions, which are stories passed down by word of mouth. Oral history can tell family history, such as stories of parents and grandparents. It can also tell stories about heroes or events in the past. Oral traditions are still an important part of many societies today, but are not all historically accurate. Some may contain exaggerations about heroes and events, but still tell about how a society lived and what the people considered important.
Activities:
Picture Sort
Double Bubble comparing history and prehistory
-Create a Double Bubble on white boards
Homework:
None
