Final answer:
Early hominid cultures began creating and using tools approximately 2.6 million years ago, with Homo habilis being one of the main species known for crafting Oldowan tools. These tools dramatically changed human life and survival strategies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Early hominid cultures first began to make and use tools about 2.6 million years ago. Homo habilis, among others, is credited with this significant milestone in human evolution. These primordial creators crafted the very first known stone tools, which have been referred to as Oldowan tools.
The impact of such tool-making marked a considerable step forward in the capabilities of early humans. The Oldowan tools were functional for a multitude of tasks including cutting, smashing bones, and butchering meat, which altogether facilitated a shift in the substistence patterns of early hominids.
Over time, these tools evolved and became more sophisticated, as seen with the appearance of the Acheulean tools around 1.6 million years ago, brought about by species such as Homo erectus and Homo ergaster. The rise in tool complexity correlates with notable advances in cognition and possibly language among early humans, reflecting a deepening of hominid cultures and social activities.