How Our First Ancestors Lived 5 



haps fire melted some of the copper in a. vein of ore. Per- 

 haps pure copper was found, for Nature sometimes leaves 

 it in this form. Copper could be easily hammered into 

 various useful. articles, but it was too soft for many needs. 

 After tin was discovered, it was learned that by melting it 

 and copper together a new and very hard metal, known as 

 bronze, was formed. Next, we think, came the discovery 

 of iron, which has become so important that we could not 

 get along without it. Think what this must have meant 

 for them ! To get firewood, to make rude boats and simple 

 houses, to fight wild animals, now became easier. After 

 iron they discovered gold and silver, and began to take an 

 interest in making beautiful as well as useful things. 



It is easy to see how, once these new ways of using the 

 earth were found, men could move into other regions than 

 the belt where it was always warm. They could store up 

 food for the winter, they could build warm shelters and get 

 warm clothing, and they could sit by a fire. 



Sometimes when the first people were out hunting, in- 

 stead of killing the young animals that they caught, they 

 took them home and cared for them. So the little creatures 

 became quite tame and grew up about the camps. The wild 

 jungle fowls were the ancestors of the domestic hens which 

 we find so useful. The wild cow was tamed in like manner, 

 and made to supply milk in addition to food and clothing. 

 The colts of wild horses and donkeys were captured and used 

 for carrying loads. Sheep and goats were tamed in the 

 same manner, and became the most valued possessions of 

 some of the ancient peoples as they are of some peoples 

 today. When they had learned to weave the wool of these 

 animals into clothing and blankets, they had taken another 



