NAME:
DATE:
FACT SHEET
Nomads to Settlements
Based on your previous knowledge of Hunter-Gatherers, what do you think would lead these
groups to give up a Nomadic lifestyle and create permanent settlements?
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Overview
People have existed on earth for millions of years and for most of that time, humans were Nomadic
Hunter-Gathers. In every region of the earth that was populated by man, small groups of HunterGatherers roamed far and wide looking for food, water and shelter. For a long time many of these
groups did not need to settle down and create permanent places to live because the things that
they needed were very easy to find and it seemed like there was an unlimited supply of these
necessities. For example, Hunter-Gatherers in Mexico were able to gather an 11-day supply of
wild corn in less than a day and many Hunter-Gatherer groups were known for moving with the
migrations of the animals they lived around, making it possible for them to have access to a steady
diet of meat for most of the year.
However, about 10,000 years ago, many of these Nomadic communities all across the world
decided to settle in small, permanent villages. While, there are many ideas about why HunterGatherers chose to stop moving from place to place but no one is completely sure what started the
trend toward permanent settlements. Some scientists believe that after the end of the last Ice Age,
when a large part of the earth was covered with ice and snow, people realized they could now plant
plants and keep animals and not have to move around. Other scientists believe that because of a
growing population in these Hunter-Gatherer groups, they were having a hard time find enough food
and had to figure out a way to produce their own food so they started planting crops and had to
settle in one place to protect their food sources. While, no one can be sure which reason is correct,
what we do know is that the settlement of the nomadic Hunter-Gatherer is what began the type of
human life that we know now.
How long ago did Hunter-Gatherers begin to settle down?
What are the two leading theories about why Hunter-Gatherers decided to settle down? Which do you think makes
the most sense? Why?
IT’S DEBATABLE!
•
NOMADS TO SETTLEMENT S
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2012 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
NAME:
DATE:
SECTION:
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
Nomads to Settlements
Directions: Using the Venn diagram below, compare and contrast your original prediction about why Hunter/
Gatherers decided to settle down with the scientific theory that made the most sense to your team.
Scientific Theory:
Your Prediction:
What did
your prediction
and the scientific
theory have in
common?
IT’S DEBATABLE!
•
NOMADS TO SETTLEMENT S
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2012 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
NAME:
DATE:
SECTION:
SCIENTIFIC THEORY TABLE DEBATE
Nomads to Settlements
Directions: Using the information your team just gathered about why scientists think Hunter-Gatherers moved from a
nomadic lifestyle to permanent settlements, you will participate in a Mini Debate with your partner to figure out which
theory is really true!
Pre Work: Which theory are you defending?
Directions: Write your name under the theory you will be defending.
Theory One: After the end of the last Ice Age, when a
large part of the earth was covered with ice and snow,
people realized they could now plant plants and keep
animals and not have to move around.
Theory Two: Because of a growing population in these
Hunter-Gatherer groups, they were having a hard
time find enough food and had to figure out a way to
produce their own food so they started planting crops
and had to settle in one place to protect their food
sources.
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Mini-Debate Preparation:
Use the space below to outline your argument by:
• Creating a claim by entering the details of your theory in the claim sentence starter.
• Develop 3 warrant s to support your claim.
Claim: The theory that nomadic Hunter/Gatherers decided to settle down because _______
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_________________________________________________ is correct because,
Warrant #1: __________________________________________________________
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Warrant #2: __________________________________________________________
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Warrant #3: __________________________________________________________
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IT’S DEBATABLE!
•
NOMADS TO SETTLEMENT S
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2012 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
NAME:
DATE:
MAP WORK
Nomads to Settlements
Directions: Below you will find maps of a few regions where Hunter-Gatherers settled. After taking a look at the images with
your group, discuss the questions.
Mesopotamia/Fertile Crescent
What do you notice about this area?
The Yellow River of China
What do you notice about this area?
Mesoamerica (Modern day Central America)
What do you notice about this area?
What similarities did you see between the three regions? What differences?
Think back to the scientific theories you read through and debated earlier, which argument do you think is supported
most by these maps? Why?
Make a prediction: what resources would Hunter/Gatherers need to have available to start a successful permanent
settlements? Do you think these resources are available in these places?
IT’S DEBATABLE!
•
NOMADS TO SETTLEMENT S
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2012 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
CLAIM WARRANT MATCHING GAME
Mini Debate: Source Reliability
Teacher Instructions: The following claims and warrants should be cut into separate sheets so student group can reconstruct them on their process sheets. copies of the source documents (including their opponents’).
Hunter/Gatherers were totally dependent on
their environments.
Because Hunter/Gatherers hunted animals
and gathered plants for food which required
them to have large areas of land where they
could scout for food.
Family was very important to Hunter/
Gatherers.
Because Hunter/Gatherers lived in small
bands of about 30 people and depended
on each other for survival and protection.
The nomadic lifestyle was difficult for
Hunter/Gatherers.
Because Hunter/Gatherers had to
periodically move to new areas in search of
new food resources and shelter, carrying all
of their possessions with them.
Hunter/Gatherers could adapt to any
environment.
Because by 15,000 BCE, Hunter-Gatherers
had migrated through much of the world
and were present on nearly every continent.
IT’S DEBATABLE!
•
NOMADS TO SETTLEMENT S
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2012 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
IT’S DEBATABLE!
•
NOMADS TO SETTLEMENT S
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2012 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
DATE:
SECTION:
Claim: Attach your claims here
Warrant: Attach matching warrants here
Full Argument: Combine the claim and
warrant and write in the full argument
Directions: Work with your partner to match the correct claim with the correct warrant to construct a full argument about Hunter/Gatherers.
Nomads to Settlements
CLAIM/ WARRANT MATCHING GAME PROCESS SHEET
NAME:
NAME:
DATE:
SECTION:
NOMADS TO SETTLEMENTS EXIT TICKET
Directions: Complete this exit ticket before you leave class today.
3 things you learned
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2 things you still have questions about
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1 thing you found the most interesting
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NAME:
DATE:
SECTION:
NOMADS TO SETTLEMENTS EXIT TICKET
Directions: Complete this exit ticket before you leave class today.
3 things you learned
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2 things you still have questions about
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1 thing you found the most interesting
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