NCERT Pointer History Class-11 Chapter-1

NCERT History Summary Class-11 Chapter-1: From the Beginning of Time

● The origin of human beings can be divided into many stages.

● Subgroup of a larger group of mammals is known as Primates.

● About 36-24 mya, Primates existed in Asia and Africa.

● The existence of Hominoids can be traced by about 24 mya.

● Apes came under Hominoids and had comparatively smaller brain.

● Hominoids had four legs. Although they moved on their four paws but were unable to walk erect. Hominids which evolved from Hominoids originated in Africa in 5.6 mya.

● The Hominids belonged to Hominidae family.

● Hominids are further subdivided into branches known as genus.

● Homo is originally a Latin word which means ‘man’. Homo came into existence approximately in 2.5 mya. Their fossils date back to 2.2 mya to 1.8 mya.

● Homo habilis were more intelligent in comparison to Australopithecus.

● Homo erectus were familiar with the art of walking.

● In many parts of Asia and Africa, fossils of Homo erectus have been found.

● Homo sapiens were the modern men. They were intelligent and wise.

● Homo sapiens came into existence between 0.19 to 0.16 mya.

● Fossils of Homo habilis have been found at Omo in Ethiopia and at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. The fossils of Homo erectus have been found in Africa and Asia.

● Homo sapiens were quite intelligent. They used sophisticated tools and languages.

● Homo neanderthalensis were also called Neanderthal men. Because their fossils have been found in Neander valley in Germany.

● Terra Amata in Southern France gives the most important evidence. The hut was made of thatch.

● The life of early men underwent a sea change due to the discovery of fire.

● Chesowanja in Kenya and Swartkrans in South Africa are the places where the traces of the use of fire have been found.

● The tools of early men were made of stones. The tools constituted hand axes, choppers and flake tools.

●The earliest evidence of stone tools were found in Ethiopia and Kenya.

● About 21,000 years ago, sewing needle was invented.

● The art of speech helped the man to develop culturally.

● The early human beings painted the pictures of flora and fauna, sun, moon, rivers and their daily activities.

● Paintings were done on the walls and roofs of the caves. Altamira, Lascaux and Chauvet are considered to be the earliest famous cave paintings.

● The early humans also made small sized sculptures.

● The Hadza were also fond of hunting and lived around the salty lake, Lake Eyasi.

● Altamira is a cave site in Spain.

● Marcelino Sanz deSautula and his daughter Maria brought into notice the cave paintings.

● Mary and Louis Leakey identified Otduvai.

● Some historians think that ethnographic data cannot be used without understanding of the past society.

● Ethnography stands for the analytical study of contemporary ethnic society.

● The early humans were completely dependent on nature.

● They gathered food by fishing and hunting.

● Hooks and harpoons were used to gather small and large fishes.

● Early men lived on trees, in caves and later on in huts.

● Early men began to live in caves around 400,000 years ago.

● Cave Lazaret is the earliest example of cave dwelling. It is in Southern France.

Important terms:

● Fossils: The remains of ancient plants, animals and humans which have become hard and turned into rock.

● Species: A group of organisms that can be bred to produce healthy and fertile offspring which are divided smaller than Genus.

● Primates: They are subgroup of a larger group of mammals, and have a long gestation period followed by birth, mammary glands, different types of teeth, and ability to maintain a constant body temperature.

● Artefacts: Objects made by human beings such as tools, painting, sculpture, engravings, etc.

● Anthropology: A branch of science which deals with human culture and evolutionary aspects of human biology.

● Ethnography: The study of contemporary ethnic group. It studies the modes of livelihood, gender, political institutions, social customs, etc.

● Australopithecus: Southern apes.

● Homo: A Latin word which means man.

● Homo erectus: Human who could walk erect on their legs.

● Homo sapiens: Wiseman, also known as modern humans.

Timeline-1 (mya):

• 36-24 mya– Primates; Monkeys in Asia and Africa
• 24 mya– (Superfamily) Hominoids; Gibbons, Asian orang-utan and African apes (gorilla, chimpanzee and bonobo or ‘pygmy’ chimpanzee)
• 6.4 mya– Branching out of hominoids and hominids
• 5.6 mya– Australopithecus
• 2.6-2.5– Earliest stone tools
• 2.5-2.0– Cooling and drying of Africa, resulting in decrease in woodlands and increase in grasslands
• 2.5-2.0 mya– Homo
• 2.2 mya– Homo habilis
• 1.8 mya– Homo erectus
• 1.3 mya– Extinction of Australopithecus
• 0.8 mya– ‘Archaic’ sapiens, Homo heidelbergensis
• 0.19-0.16 mya– Homo sapiens (modern humans)

Timeline-2 (years ago)

• Earliest evidence of burials- 300,000
• Extinction of Homo erectus- 200,000
• Development of voice box- 200,000
• Archaic Homo sapiens skull in the Narmada valley, India- 200,000-130,000
• Emergence of modern humans- 195,000-160,000
• Emergence of Neanderthals- 130,000
• Earliest evidence of hearths- 125,000
• Extinction of Neanderthals- 35,000
• Earliest evidence of figurines made of fired clay- 27,000
• Invention of sewing needles- 21,000

Origin of Human Beings:

A brief description about early societies: