Chapter 1 Reading Summary:

Humans may have developed evolutionary to homo sapiens from chimpanzees and apes, about 5 to 6 millon years ago this may have occurred. Twenty or thirty different species of human emerged. Called hominids. Common feature was bipedalism. Over time brains or hominid species grew larger. Homo habilis was first able to develop stone tools. 250 thousand years ago emerged the homo sapiens. Homo sapiens spread out from Africa into Asia, Europe and Australia. During paleolithic era first massive migrations took place. In the paleolithic era, food gathering and hunting took place as the way of life. Homo sapiens colonized the world, each in their own environmental niche.
Humans were also able to migrate to North and South America through the Bearing Strait Land Bridge. 11 thousand years ago farming and animal husbandry has developed as a way of life. Civilization has developed from the farming communities and it was based on growing cities and formal states. AD meant "anno domini" or year of the lord. And BC means before Christ. This is how modern dating system is based.