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This era featured cycles of glacial and interglacial periods, drastically altering landscapes and climates. Glaciers carved valleys and created features like the Great Lakes. Human populations migrated to follow herds of adapted animals, while many large mammals went extinct as the climate warmed. We are currently in an interglacial period called the Holocene, but climate change raises questions about future glacial events. -
During this time, humans developed advanced tools and technologies, such as finely crafted blades and composite tools. Art and cultural expression flourished, evident in cave paintings, carvings, and portable art like Venus figurines. -
During this time, humans developed advanced tools and technologies, such as finely crafted blades and composite tools. Art and cultural expression flourished, evident in cave paintings, carvings, and portable art like Venus figurines.
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Clovis people were nomadic hunter-gatherers, moving in small groups to follow animal migrations. Their existence coincided with the end of the last Ice Age, and they played a crucial role in shaping early human life in North America. The culture is significant for its implications about the timing and methods of human migration into the continent.
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As temperatures rose, massive ice sheets melted, leading to rising sea levels and the transformation of landscapes. This warming period initiated the Holocene epoch and resulted in the extinction of many large mammals, such as woolly mammoths.
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As temperatures rose, massive ice sheets melted, leading to rising sea levels and the transformation of landscapes. This warming period initiated the Holocene epoch and resulted in the extinction of many large mammals, such as woolly mammoths. -
The Stone Age is the earliest known period of human history, characterized by the use of stone tools. -
Development of one of the first urban civilizations in Mesopotamia, including the invention of cuneiform writing. -
The Stone Age, spanning from roughly 2.5 million years ago to around 3000 BCE, marks the earliest and longest phase of human history, characterized by the use of stone tools. This era is divided into three periods: the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic. During the Paleolithic, early humans developed basic stone tools, mastered fire, and lived as hunter-gatherers. The Mesolithic period saw advancements in tool-making and the gradual transition to agriculture. -
Major civilizations, including the Olmecs and later the Zapotecs and Maya, began to emerge, establishing trade networks and social hierarchies. This period laid the foundation for the more advanced civilizations of the Classic period, with lasting influences in art, religion, and urban planning. -
They practiced agriculture, primarily cultivating maize, beans, and squash, and established significant trade networks. The Olmec had a theocratic government and engaged in ritual practices, including ball games and possibly human sacrifice. Their influence laid the groundwork for subsequent Mesoamerican civilizations, such as the Maya and Aztecs, particularly in art, religion, and urban planning. -
The civilization is known for its impressive city-states, such as Tikal, Palenque, and Copán, featuring monumental architecture, including pyramids, temples, and palaces. Maya society was highly stratified, with a ruling elite, priests, and a large peasant class. -
Major civilizations, including the Olmecs and later the Zapotecs and Maya, began to emerge, establishing trade networks and social hierarchies. This period laid the foundation for the more advanced civilizations of the Classic period, with lasting influences in art, religion, and urban planning. -
The Iron Age, which began around 1200 BCE and lasted until the onset of classical antiquity (varying by region), marks a significant technological and cultural development in human history. This period is characterized by the widespread use of iron for tools and weapons, which offered greater strength and durability compared to bronze. -
Major civilizations, including the Olmecs and later the Zapotecs and Maya, began to emerge, establishing trade networks and social hierarchies. This period laid the foundation for the more advanced civilizations of the Classic period, with lasting influences in art, religion, and urban planning. -
They are credited with developing a rich cultural heritage, including a pantheon of gods and a complex social structure. The Toltecs influenced later Mesoamerican civilizations, particularly the Aztecs, who revered them as a model of civilization. -
These societies engaged in trade, developed agriculture, and practiced polytheistic religions, leaving lasting legacies across the continent. -
The city is famous for its impressive architecture, including the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon, and the Avenue of the Dead. Teotihuacán was a hub of cultural and economic activity, featuring advanced urban planning, trade networks, and a diverse population. -
The Classic period laid the foundation for the cultural and political developments that followed, influencing subsequent civilizations in Mesoamerica. -
Overall, Mexico's cultural development is characterized by a dynamic interplay of Indigenous traditions and external influences, creating a vibrant and diverse cultural landscape. -
The Mexica built a vast empire through military conquests and extensive trade networks, but their civilization fell to Spanish conquistadors led by Hernán Cortés in 1521. Despite their decline, the Mexica left a lasting legacy in art, language, and culture that continues to influence modern Mexico. -
Lucy is a 3.5-million-year-old fossil of the species Australopithecus afarensis, discovered in 1974 in Ethiopia by Donald Johanson and his team. Her nearly 40% complete skeleton provided crucial evidence about early human ancestors, particularly regarding bipedalism, or walking upright. Lucy's discovery has been pivotal in understanding human evolution, offering insights into the physical and behavioral traits of early hominids.