Tyler Elliot
Proffesor Mazin TadrosHist 1111
Nomadism Evolution
Nomadism has been one distinct element when it came to carriers of civilization. Nomads were not only found in Africa but other continents as well for example they were found in Northern china. With the changing environment however, nomadism was no longer an option as it involved a lot of movement. People decided that they would settle and this is what led to the emergence of most states. It is the modernization and collectivization that resulted in the nomads to change their way of life. Most of the nomadic life is seen through the African Eye. First 200, 00 years to 250000 years, the theories of Homo sapiens living in the savanna grassland were quite common. Africa has been seen to be the location where the “human revolution” might have taken place.
When migration begun, people moved from Africa to the middle east and then to Asia and later to Europe. In Eurasia early settlement were found to be in Northern Spain and France. Many traditional theories developed to suggest the movement of many Paleolithic group who were mostly hunters from North Asia having crossed to America about 13,000 years ago. The arrival of these Paleolithic groups saw a retreated of the Pleistocene retreat to the north even though the environmental conditions in those days were way colder than the current conditions. The conditions during the glacial period have improved with modern environment existing. different methods developed to enhance the reconstruction of evolution and development. During the Paleolithic stage states begun to emerge, for example in Japan groups started settling by the sea and building villages, the group was Jomon. They engaged now in other activities aside from farming such as pottery and making of canoes (Strayer, pg. 13).
Paleo environmental changes were among the fa influenced the occupation of Paleoindians as rising sea levels were marked to be one of the factors driving the paleo environmental changes. Ancient research has suggested a correlation between change in climate and changing culture according to prehistoric united states. Some research supports the shift and changes if environment and climate to be as a result of a sedentary lifestyle and the shift in animals and plants that humans depended on. The Clovis culture was marked by a subsistence that hunted big games that saw a shift into the hunting of small games and the rise of fishing in the late Paleoindian cultures. The change in environment saw the Paleoindians adapt the new lifestyles in order to survive even the rising temperatures.
In the Clovis age and culture human settled and small nomadic bands of around 20 people that were temporary makeshifts which saw them move after exhausting food in a certain area. These settlements changed to semi-permanent structures in the late Paleolithic stage that laid the foundation for agriculture and fully-fledged life of villages that even developed pottery. These cultural transitions also saw to the development of technologies used by these ancient dwellers. In the clovers culture, humans majorly depended on stone tools for hunting big games to the invention of hooks for fishing in the late Paleolithic stage. Stone tools were used by both the Clovis and Paleoindians although in the Paleoindian period stone tools were ground smooth and polished as bones were curved to make tools such as jewelry and fishing hooks. These changes mostly took place as a result of both ecological and environmental-climate changes. This period was filled with cold-adapted plants such as spruce, when it was warmer there was a decline in plants like pine and other warm adapted trees grew. The Clovis period saw settlement in territories of large groups 25 to 100 people that have since become smaller although the population was rapidly increasing. This marked a stage where agriculture became more robust and organization (Strayer, pg. 24)
Neolithic Revolution which often at times referred to as the new stone age was when farming really picked up. There was a new relationship that emerged between the human beings and other living things for example corn was transferred from just a mare plant with cob to a plant measuring six inches. Later more efforts were put and the length doubled. Egypt and Mesopotamia which are often referred to as cradle of cavitation were practicing farming and this could have been because of the soft silky soil that was near their sea as well as presence of water that they had used for their irrigation. Humans also stated practicing domestication and animals were now being domesticated for example the sheep, cows which could give milk and the hens which could give eggs. Despite this hunting and gathering in most communities still continued and was viewed as a supplement to agriculture (Strayer, pg. 25 ). Global warming which occurred at the end of the ice age period was a benefit for agriculture. With global warming most permanent establishment were built. With an increase in population, agriculture was considered as the immediate way that people could be able to solve the food crisis. It is through agriculture that other things came into play for example trading. There was a barter trade as most people could now exchange what they had for what they did not have. The pastoralist for example could now give out their animals and in exchange they would get food.
With formation of cities and migration into new locations, most rulers wanted to legitimize their powers, this was done through establishment of laws. Most of the rulers to these newly formed states were kings. In ruling they had a variety of ranked officials and also they liked to exercise total control over their subjects (Strayer, pg. 69). Early states for example Mesopotamia, Egypt and China drew powers from various sources. One basis of authority that may be common to all is the fact that they needed someone who would rule them because of the complexities of life in cities. For example, there needed to be someone who would solve conflicts. There also was needed people who would protect the city and for all this to happen then there needed to be one person who would lead them. Before the first civilization, n=most rulers who led chiefdoms had only prestige and valued gifts. But now for the kingdom, violence had been legitimized. First civilization came up with ways that they could be able to solve the issues they had without force. State authority was seen as ordained by gods and so was gender inequality. Religion which served to ensure there was equality was also used in maintaining order and at times restrain power. In some states such as china, bad behavior by the emperors would warrant one’s removal.
Works Cited
Strayer, Robert W., and Eric W. Nelson. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources (Volume 2, Since the Fifteenth. Bedford/St. Martins, 2016.
