World History I

Chapter 1: The African Origins of Humanity
Prehistory-10000 BCE

7: Wed, Sep 24, 2025

Please post in the forum for the day a short essay in response to this question:

Humans today live in communities, but how far back does this practice go? Some, as do the authors of your text, contend that communities of adults are necessary if human young, born defenseless and dependent, are going to survive to adulthood. But are there other factors than mere survival at work?

Consider:

• Why might we assume that communities formed or were necessary during the Paleolithic?
• Why might we assume that communities formed or were necessary during the Paleolithic?
• What evidence exists for the formation of communities? How large are these communities?
• How do communities differ with place and hominin type?
• What evidence exists for different roles within the communities?
• What relationships bind these communities together?

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