The Stone Age – Years 3/4 and P4/5 History Collection

What is the Stone Age?

A photo of Stonehenge in the early morning. — Image caption,
Work began on Stonehenge in the late Neolithic Age (new Stone Age), in around 3000BC.

The Stone Age is the period of history when the earliest humans lived.

It is called the Stone Age because people used stone to make tools.

The Stone Age is divided into three periods:

Palaeolithic - the early Stone Age
Mesolithic - the middle Stone Age
Neolithic - the new Stone Age

The earliest humans were hunter-gathers (people who hunt and gather food to eat).

They hunted animals and gathered food.

Later, they learnt to grow crops and to farm.

Important words

Important words on The Stone Age.

Keyword	Definition
Archaeologist	Someone who explores objects and places from the past.
Hunter-gatherer	People who hunt and gather food to eat.
Mesolithic	The middle Stone Age.
Neolithic	The new Stone Age.
Palaeolithic	The early Stone Age.
Prehistoric	The time in the past before written records.
Stone Age	A long period in early human history. People used stone to make tools.

Watch: What happened in Prehistoric Britain?

Watch the video to learn more about what happened in Prehistoric Britain (the time in the past before written records).

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

This video can not be played

Take a trip through 900,000 years of prehistoric history.

Timeline: British History

Skip image gallery

Image caption,
Click the arrows learn more about the timeline of Prehistoric Britain!
Image caption,
Early Stone Age Britain (Palaeolithic)
The Palaeolithic period is so long ago we don't know too many things about it, and was such a long time the timeline we've drawn here has to have a break in it to fit it all! Palaeolithic people are some of the earliest humans we know about, who used stone tools and lived in caves.
Image caption,
Middle Stone Age Britain (Mesolithic)
In the Mesolithic period, people learned how to make better tools from stone and wood, and used them to hunt and build houses. Some even tamed wolves to help them hunt.
Image caption,
New Stone Age Britain (Neolithic)
In the Neolithic period, people learned how to farm crops and animals and didn't have to rely on just hunting and gathering to find food. We also believe they started building Stonehenge during this time, which still stands today.
Image caption,
Bronze Age Britain
After 2500BC we exit the Stone Age and enter the Bronze Age. People have learned how to find and melt metal, letting them make all sorts of useful things. They also learned how to tame horses.
Image caption,
The Iron Age
Around 800BC people learned how to make iron, improving the tools and weapons people could make. It wasn't all just fighting with enemy clans though, Iron Age people traded with other groups who travelled to Britain.
Image caption,
End of the Prehistoric Ages
The Prehistoric period in Britain came to an end when the Ancient Romans tried to take over the island in AD43. They tried to invade in the past, but this time they were successful.

Think like a historian

A thought bubble saying 'Thinking points'.

Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to each question. You could even write them down on a piece of paper or discuss them with somebody else if you want to.

Why do you think it is difficult to know what happened during Stone Age Britain?

Activities

Activity 1: Prehistoric timeline

The prehistoric period is divided into three ‘ages’. They are known as the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age.

Click on the image to find out more.

Activity 2: Interactive - Stone Age artifacts

Explore the interactive image below to find out what footprints, bones and tools can tell us about prehistoric people.

In the early Stone Age, people made simple hand-axes out of stones. They made hammers from bones or antlers and they sharpened sticks to use as hunting spears.

Watch the video to see how these were made.