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Content 3 Human Biocultural and Social Evolution
Topic 2 Cultural Evolution of Man
Topic 2: Cultural Evolution of Man
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, the learners should be able to:
 explain the concept of cultural evolution, and

 trace the cultural evolution of early to modern humans.
Questions:
 What is cultural evolution?

 How can we trace the cultural evolution of early to modern humans?
Mobile phones are already part of our everyday lives. In a way, they represent technological advancements due to
constant changes in their key features.
This evolution and development of mobile phones only show how culture changes through time. From the early writings of
the cuneiform up to the present features of the different units of smartphones and tablets, we can say that the way of life
of people constantly changes. This concept is called cultural evolution.
What is Cultural Evolution?

Cultural evolution explains the changes in the beliefs, knowledge, customs, skills, attitudes, and languages of humans
over time. It proposes that as humans transform themselves, their culture becomes progressively complex due to social,
environmental, and biological factors.
The cultural evolution of early humans can be traced back to the beginning of the Stone Age when they started creating
and using tools made out of stones. This is the earliest known period of human culture which started roughly 2-3 million
years ago and ended around 6000 and 3000 BCE. This period is also known as the prehistoric period because writing
was not yet invented during this time. It is divided into three separate periods:
 Old Stone Age (Paleolithic),

 Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic), and
 New Stone Age (Neolithic).
Paleolithic Period
The Paleolithic period is the first phase of the Stone Age. This period started the creation and use of crude stone tools
which are the most primitive among the three periods. The word "paleolithic" is derived from the Greek words palaios (old)
and lithos (stone) to collectively mean "old stone age."
The early humans who existed during this period showed their skills with fire and stones that changed their diet and food
consumption. Hunting and fishing were the primary activities of the early humans during the Paleolithic period. They also
had their religious rituals based on nature and developed their own language based on sounds and hand signals.
Mesolithic Period
The Mesolithic period is the second phase of the Stone Age. It was considered as the transition period between the
Paleolithic and Neolithic periods. The word "mesolithic" is derived from the Greek words mesos (middle) and lithos (stone)
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics Page 1
Content 3 Human Biocultural and Social Evolution
Topic 2 Cultural Evolution of Man
that collectively mean "middle stone age."
Early humans during this period gradually domesticated plants and animals. They also started to form their own
settlements and communities. Hunting, fishing, and food gathering were the primary activities of the early humans. They
also started to use microliths or smaller and more delicate stone tools.
Neolithic Period
The word "neolithic" was derived from the Ancient Greek words neos (new) and lithos (stone) that collective translates to
"new stone age."
The Neolithic period started during the last phase of the Stone Age and at this point, modern humans started to exist.
From being food gatherers, they became food producers and introduced the concept of farming. They also became
herders from being hunters during the Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods. They crafted better stone tools and invented the
axe. Pots and jars were evident during this period which served as their food containers and storage. Modern humans
also formed their permanent homes and started to have their own tribes and villages.
Key Points:
 Cultural evolution is the idea that the human culture such as beliefs, knowledge, customs, skills, attitudes, and
languages change over time.
 The Stone Age was the earliest period in the evolution of human culture when the early humans started the use
of weapons and tools made out of stones.
 The Paleolithic period was the first stage of the Stone Age. In this age, the early humans began to use fire and
stone tools. Hunting, fishing, and other practices such as religious rituals based on nature and language based on
sounds or hand signals also emerged during this period.
 The Mesolithic period was the transition period between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods. It witnessed the
gradual transformation of human culture such as the domestication of plants and animals, formation of
settlements and communities, and food gathering.
 The Neolithic period was the last stage of the Stone age. This period was when modern humans started to exist.
Modern humans introduced farming, started herding animals, and formed their permanent homes and
settlements.
Activities:
 Based on the development of human culture during the Stone Age and the previous lesson on biological
evolution, who were the humans that existed during the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods? What would
be your justification or supporting evidence that these humans existed during those periods?
 Make a table of the three periods of stone age and compare the different contributions of each stage. Why do you
think these periods are important in the study of the evolution of human culture?
Points for Reflection:
Following the timeline of the cultural evolution from the Paleolithic period up to the Neolithic period, what do you
think would be the next step of human development?
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics Page 2

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Content 3 Human Biocultural and Social Evolution

Topic 2 Cultural Evolution of Man

Topic 2: Cultural Evolution of Man

 explain the concept of cultural evolution, and

 What is cultural evolution?

What is Cultural Evolution?

 Old Stone Age (Paleolithic),

that collectively mean "middle stone age."

Points for Reflection:

Understanding Culture, Society and Politics Page 2

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