Before written records, before cities, and before organized governments, early humans roamed the planet, adapting to their environments and laying the groundwork for civilization. In this episode of The World History Curriculum Companion, we begin our World History curriculum by learning about the first humans from the Paleolithic Era, where hunter-gatherers relied on stone tools.

We then transition to the Neolithic Revolution, when agriculture transformed human societies. We’ll also break down the defining characteristics of a civilization—organized governments, social structures, religion, writing, and more—that set the stage for the rise of the world’s first great societies.