Way of Life of Pre-Historic Man and Why Man Moved from The Savannah to the Forest

 

Main Topic: WAY OF LIFE OF PRE-HISTORIC MAN IN AFRICA (1000.000BC-500BC)

Sub Topic 1: Way of life of Pre-historic man

Sub Topic 2: The beginning of Village/Community life in Africa (400BC-500BC)

Sub Topic 3: Why the Stone Age man moved from the Savannah to the Forest.

 

Objectives (By the end of the Lesson students will be able to):

1.     Mention some tools used by the Stone-Age man in Africa.

2.     Describe the beginning of Village/community life in Africa.

3.     Explain why the Stone Age man moved from the Savannah to live in the Forest

 

Way of life of Pre-historic man

The period of Hunter-gatherer began from 1000, 000BC to 4000BC. Scientists sometimes call this period the “Paleolithic Age” or the “Early Stone Age”. Thus, it covers the Early Stone Age, the Middle Stone Age and the Late Stone Age I. Studies have shown that until people developed the innovation of taming their own animals and growing food, they survived mainly through hunting and gathering of wild animals and plants that grew naturally around them. Archaeologists are sure that it was Africa that the common ancestors of apes and man originated. They are sure that it was in Africa that man completed his evolution into Homo sapiens or true man as he is known today. The period before the discovery and use of metals is referred to as the Stone Age. The reason being that stone was the main hard material used in making tools. Man-apes belonged to the Stone Age period. Man-apes lived by hunting and gathering and to be able to survive in such conditions they manufactured the first set of stone tools which archaeologists called pebble tools. The tools were made of artificial flakes of stones with sharp edges which were shaped in different forms.

As a result of the smallness of the Pebble tools, the Stone Age man was unable to kill large animals. He managed to kill only small and medium-sized animals. From about 500,000BC, the hunter-gathers improved upon their tool making technique. They now produced a new set of tools with definite shapes. Some of these tools were Hand-axe, the Cleaver, Chisels, Spear heads, Heavy stone picks, Scrapers, and Knives. The hand-axe was a large fine tool with sharp edges. It was ‘all-purpose tool’ used for skinning animals and chopping meat. The cleaver was a large blade of stone used for various purpose, such as cutting and skinning. Stone Age man invented these tools to protect themselves against fellow man-apes and wild animals.

                                                Images of Stone tools discovered in Africa

The beginning of Village/Community life in Africa

The village or community life in Africa started when man left the nomadic life and the practice of dwelling in caves and rocks. As family size increased in the course of time, man sought the need to build permanent houses to house the expanding family. These permanent building were in the form of mud, laterite blocks and stone blocks. Some of these early buildings were decorated with paintings and artistic impressions that depicted the way of life of the people. There is no doubt that civilization began in Africa. The process of achieving and building fine civilization went through different stages. The first was the manufacture of tools which helped man to adapt to his environment (about 1000,000 BC- 500BC). The second stage was the discovery of fire (50,000BC – 10,000 BC). The third was when man changed from food and gathering to food production and from hunting to the rearing of animals (4000BC-500BC). The changeover to food production doubtlessly had a positive impact on man’s life in so many ways.

Firstly, man engaged in farming. When man acquired the knowledge of food production in his new environment, he was able to produce enough food to feed themselves and their families. Man cultivated crops that had early maturity rate and can produce good yield. As a result, man was able to produce enough food that feed themselves and their families. This therefore motivated man to build permanent houses and live sedentary lives.

Secondly, the change-over to food production also paved the way for man to have leisure time for the development of craft industries. Examples of such industries were pottery, cloth, weaving and boat building.

Thirdly, the Stone Age man was able to engage in the domestication or rearing of friendly and harmless animals. Example of animals such animals were, Cattle, Sheep, Goats, Camels, Horses and Pigs. These animals were introduced into Africa by foreigners. However, the rearing of ass, the cat and the guinea fowl were of African origin.

Fourthly, the change-over to food production led to the development of village settlement. In Africa, agriculture and village settlement began about 400BC. The earliest proof of agricultural activity came from Fayum in Egypt dating as far back as 4300BC. In sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture started around 3000BC. In Ghana agricultural activity began around 1500BC at Kintampo and Ntereso.

Lastly, the change-over to food production led to the cultivation of crops. Crops such as millet, wheat and barley were grown in Egypt, the Maghreb and Southern Mauritania. Crops cultivated in West Africa included African rice, oil palm, yam, cola and cowpeas (beans).

Why the Stone Age Man moved from the Savannah to the Forest region

The African Stone-Age man initially lived in the tropical woodland but later decided to move to the forest region. Between 50,000BC and 10,000BC, the Stone-Age man began to settle in the forest Zone. A couple of factors led to the geographical mobility of the Stone-Age man and these include the following.

To begin with, there was an improvement in Man’s technical knowledge. Stone-Age man developed the skills of tool-making which made it possible for him to produce tools suitable for use in the forest region. This means that he could clear the land for farming and comfortably settle in the forest area. Man was able to manufacture wide range of heavy tools. They included those for picking stones, digging pit-traps and tubers, harpoons, spearheads, Knives, Chisel and hand axe.  

            Secondly, man moved from the Savannah to the forest zone due to the reduction of rainfall in the Savannah region. In the course of time, rainfall amounts reduced drastically and the Savannah region became drier and for that matter unreliable for intensive agriculture. Many animals consequently moved from the Savannah to the forest region and this affected the hunting expeditions of the Stone-Age man. Fruits and vegetables became extremely scarce in the Savannah region. Under this circumstance it became necessary that man moved from the Savannah zone.

 Again, the discovery of fire was another reason for the movement of man to the forest region. The Stone-Age man learnt to make fire by striking a piece of iron ore against a flint and allowing the sparks to fall into a bed of dry leaves. The discovery of fire made it possible for man to protect themselves at night against wild animals. Also, man used the fire to warm himself during the cold and rainy forest conditions. The fire again helped man to cook food instead of eating it raw. The early man lit fire at the entrance of caves to scare and ward off wild animals like elephants, bears and bison.

Lastly, Stone-Age man moved to the forest region due to the need for food security. At a certain stage in his life, there came the reduction in the amount of rainfall in the Savannah zone and this affected the food security there. Since humankind depends on food, the Stone Age man thought it wise to move into the forest where tilling of the land likely to be a rewarding exercise.

The main stages in the development of Man in Africa from the earliest time to the building of permanent villages.

i.                 Hunting and gathering

The first stage was hunting and gathering stage where people roamed about gathering fruits berries, nuts as well as hunting animals for their food and meat.

ii.               Manufacture of tools

The second stage was the manufacture of tools. People began to make stone tools, at first it was small ‘pebble tools’ then later larger tools like hand-axes, cleavers and scrapers were made.

iii.             Movement into the forest regions.

The third stage was the movement into the forest regions from the Savannah zone. People moved to the forest regions for various reasons and to do this effectively, they made new stone tools. For example, heavy chopping tools, heavy stone-picks, chisels, knives, and spear-heads.

iv.              The discovery of fire

Next came the discovery of fire which enable humans to shape wooden tools and weapons, cook their food and help to protect themselves against wild animals.

v.                Sheltering in caves and rocks

These developments enabled people to make houses in caves and rocks shelters. By this stage, they made small stone tools that could be fitted to wooden handle. Better tools enable people to increase and vary their food and meat supply.

vi.              Cultivation of food items

From this stage humans began to cultivate food items, example, Fayum, Libya and Khartoum. The earliest was around 400 BC. They also domesticated animals like cattle, sheep, dogs and goats.

vii.            Building of permanent villages

Finally as a result of man’s ability to cultivate food items and domestic animals, people began to build and settle down in villages. Evidence for this has been found in many parts of Africa including Kintampo and Ntereso in Ghana.

Past Questions.

1.     Mention any four animals domesticated outside Africa before being introduced into the continent.

Name any two food crops domesticated in West Africa. (NOV/DEC 2011)

2.     List any three stone tools used by hunter-gatherers in African history.

Give any two reasons for the movement of primitive man from the savannah to the forest area. (MAY/JUNE 2016)

3.     Outline the main stages in the development of man in Africa from the earliest time to the building of permanent villages. (NOC/DEC 2011)