DEVELOPMENT OF STONE AGE_TOPIC 2_HISTORY FORM 1

DEVELOPMENT OF STONE AGE

Stone Age: This is historical period in which man made and used stone tools. Is a period based on man's economic activities and type of the tools used. e.g., Stone Age, Iron Age, Science technology age etc.
Stone Age is divided into three ages;

(a)Early or Old Stone Age.

(b)        Middle Stone Age

(c) (c) Late or new Stone Age

THEEARLY OR OLD STONE AGE

This is the first period of Stone Age. It existed between 1,750,000 B.C and 750,000 B.C.

Zinjanthropus was the only man existed in this period. The early stone tools were pebbles and chopping. Man used these tools for killing and skinning animal flesh, digging up roots, cutting tree branches, and for defense. 

Man obtained his food by hunting and gathering. In this period, man had low ability to control his environment.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF EARLY OR OLD STONE AGE

In East Africa Stone Age sites are found at Olorgasaille, Nsongezi and Olduvai.
1. Man lived primitive life depending on nature.
2. Man made and used crude (poor) tools.
3. Man lived by hunting and gathering.
4. Man ate raw food i.e. meat
5. Man walked up right.
6. Man lived in caves.
7. Man did not wear clothes.

THE MIDDLE STONE AGE

This stage covered the period between 750,000BC to 50,000 BC. This period man improved his stone tools. Tools were -smaller, sharper and easier to handle. Tools used during this period were spear, Arrows, Needles, Stone picks, Knives etc. These tools were used for; digging up roots, killing and skinning animals, cuttings & chopping.

THE DISCOVERY OF FIRE

Man who was scratching pieces of wood using his hands discovered fire. The more he continued scratching, the pieces of wood got heat the smoke come out, the scratch caused friction of scratched wood and led to emission of fire.

IMPORTANCE/EFFECTS OF FIRE TO MAN DURING THE MIDDLE STONE AGE

The following were the effects resulted after the discovery of fire during the Middle Stone Age

·        Man started to eat roasted food i.e. meat

·        Man started to live in cold areas.

·        Man used fire to clean bushes

·        Man used fire to provide light at night.

·        Fire used to kill small animals e.g. rabbit

·        With fireman increased working hours.

·        Man use fire to attract prey.

·        Man used fire for defense from dangerous animals like lion.

THE LATE STONE AGE (NEW STONE AGE)

In East Africa, late Stone Age started from around 50,000 BC to the first millennium AD. In this stage, man used better tools compared to the previous stone ages. Tools become sharper and smaller.

Tools were stone exes, blades, spears, arrows, etc. Man started permanent settlement. The tools were still largely made of stone but they were far better than those of earlier periods were.

This period marked the beginning of settled communities. In areas such as Kondoa Irangi, paintings and drawings in the carves proved this fact. The paintings and drawings show the shape of tools used and animal hunted.

Characteristics of the late stone age.

1. Man used better tools compare to the previous ages.
2. Man started to domesticated plant and animal.
3. Man became food producer.
4. Increase of population.
5. It was beginning of settled communities and villages.
6. This period marked to be primarily on division of labor.

Example: women become child bearers and cares while man for protecting the families and hunting. 

7. Informal education started in this period.

THE IRON AGE

Iron Age is believed to have started during the ^1st millennium A.D. This was the period when manmade and used Iron tools. The discovery and use of iron improved man’s standard of living. Iron tools were discovered about 3000 years ago.

The first people to make and use iron tools in Africa were the people of Ethiopia and Egypt. Iron skills and knowledge were not uniform or the same in Africa.

Famous iron Sites

The first important towns for iron smelting were Meroe in Sudan, Axum in Ethiopia, and Nok area in West Africa. In East Africa, it is believed that man started to use iron from the first millennium A.D e.g. Iron discovered earlier in Engaruka, Uvinza, Karagwe, Ugweno and Western shores of Lake Victoria.

Iron tools included iron spears, arrows, Axes, Hoes etc also, Iron technology helped early African societies to produce and use iron tools as well as to produce better weapons for defense.

THE RESULT/EFFECTS/ IMPACTS OF USING IRON TOOLS

  v It led to increase in food production. Man could now clear his areas for cultivation.

  v Increase in population due to more food.

  v There was emergence of specialization i.e. Iron workers (black smiths) and food producers.

  v It led to the emergence of complex villages / development of political organization as kingdom and states.

  v Tools were highly improved and more efficient,

  v It led to the improvement of security due to better weapons like arrows, spears and pangas

  v It resulted to the development of trading activities due to surplus production