Social Studies - World History
Lesson Plans

WH Strand 1: PREHISTORY TO THE NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION

(Ca. 150,000 B.C.E.-1,000 B.C.E.)

The advent of farming, sometimes referred to as the Neolithic Revolution, changed the world in profound ways. The transition from procuring to producing food altered the genetic structure of plants and animals. Some societies became sedentary. Inequalities between individuals and societies grew. Land ownership became more important. Specialization and trade became possible. Large-scale warfare became more common. Written records were needed. The changes that resulted from farming created a substantially different world, leading to the formation of the first civilizations and shaping world history.

Possible Guiding Questions to Consider:

• According to historians and archaeologists, what were the advantages and disadvantages of living as hunter-gatherers, pastoralists, and farmers?
• What is a civilization and how does one form?
• In what ways do civilizations influence one another?
• What was the status of women in nomadic societies and how did their status change with the advent of farming?
• What common geographic factors led to the development of farming in diverse locations around the world?
• Should the Neolithic Revolution really be considered a revolution? Why or why not?
• What are the similarities and differences among diverse writing and recordkeeping systems that have developed around the world?
• Why did civilizations develop in diverse places in roughly the same period?

WH Standard 1.4:

Students will compare life before and after the Neolithic Revolution and cite the most significant effects of that revolution on the development of civilization(s).

• Geography, Economy, and Trade in Ancient Egypt
  Three lesson plans including classroom activities, assignments, homework, and keys. Lesson 1: Gift of the Nile, map, worksheet, visual literacy, Lesson 2. Barter Beer and Bread, Lesson 3. Nile, Red Sea, and Mediterranean Trade
• Neolithic Revolution
  Students read about and discuss the impact of the invention of the wooden plow on agricultural output, farmers, and consumers. They will use the wooden plow example to identify the potential relationships between agricultural innovations and food output, improved standards of living, and the population of ancient societies.

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