Final answer:
Hunter-gatherer societies were characterized by nomadic lifestyles, egalitarian social structures, communal resource sharing, diversified diets, and dependency on the natural environment for subsistence.
Step-by-step explanation:
Five characteristics of hunter-gatherer societies include nomadic lifestyles, egalitarian social structures, shared resources, diversified diets, and environmentally dependent subsistence methods. These societies were deeply dependent on the environment, with groups moving to new areas when resources became scarce, leading to a nomadic way of living. Socially, they were structured around kinship or tribes without rigid hierarchies, and leadership was often spontaneous, depending on the situation and individual abilities. An integral aspect was their egalitarianism; there was little to no personal property, and resources were shared based on need, which fostered a culture of generosity and discouraged greed.
Their diets were diversified, relying on wild plants, animals, and in some regions, fish and shellfish. These characteristics allowed them to thrive in various environments until the onset of the Neolithic Revolution, which introduced agriculture and led to more settled ways of life. In summary, hunter-gatherer societies exhibited traits such as mobility and egalitarianism — facilitating a lifestyle that was interdependent with their environment and placing great emphasis on communal well-being and resource-sharing.