Trace the evolution of early humans from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled agricultural communities.
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Order the steps of human evolution from nomads to towns.
Drag the milestones of early human history into chronological order, from oldest to most recent.
Overview of early Homo sapiens and hunter-gatherer life.
Modern humans (Homo sapiens) have walked the planet for about 300,000 years. For most of this vast timeline, our ancestors lived as nomads in small bands or groups to help each other survive the harsh challenges of nature.
Scene of early humans in a rock shelter.
Hunter-gatherers cooperated in bands to secure food, create tools, and express themselves through art.
The end of the Ice Age leading to the first crops.
Over long ages, the Earth's climate has gone through massive changes. The last Ice Age—a period when much of the Earth was covered in freezing ice—lasted until about 12,000 years ago.
Scene of an early agricultural village.
The shift to agriculture allowed communities to build permanent homes and store surplus food in pottery.
How communities evolved into towns with new technologies.
As early communities grew, their social structures became more complex. Small settlements known as hamlets slowly expanded into sizeable villages that began exchanging food, clothing, and tools with one another.