Everyone knows the 3 basic human needs. Food, water, shelter. All three can be relatively hard or relatively easy to accumulate. In an area like mine, it would be extremely difficult. Not much eddible stuff grows around here. Unless you like grass. And of course excludeing farmers fields.
First Step for me. I'm assumeing its an open plain with forest surrounding. There are some mountains in the distance. Many lakes dot the landscape here. A freshwater stream also runs near the area, glacial runoff.
Fisrt thing is first. There is a massive language barrier between people. Find out who can translate and what languages. Those you cannot communicate with for whatever reason, put them off to the side. They are effectively useless right now.
First thing: Assemble those that CAN understand you into several mdeium sized groups. One or more groups may encounter fairly hungry predators (maybe some grizzlies that decided to climb down out of the mountains, or a cougar.) Ensure the group, as it moves along, picks up things they can use as weapons. Ensure EVERYONE has this understanding. Now, we know that carrying things in our arms is clumsy, and you can't get much. Thank god for clotheing! We assume its summer so, get the guys to strip off shirts/hoodies/whatever. We will use them to transport whatever food we can find. Of course, I'm following the regular North American societal view here. You don't have women wandering around half naked in full public view (unless its a nudist camp).
Each group of anywhere between a minimum of 6 people and a maximum of 15 moves out in varrying directions. Their job is to find any food and water sources. Now, there is the very big problem of people getting lost. As such, those heading to forested areas will be instructed to mark their path on tree trunks, as they move deeper in. Rocks will work swell for this. They will also be instructed to collect tree bark. I'll explain why later...
Plains groups will be instructed to spread out some, but to always keep at least 2 people in visual range. On both sides. This will help people from wandering out of view. We are assumeing the plains are relatively flat for this as well.
One group remains at what is now temporarily going to be called "Base Camp". This group's job is to keep those that we cannot communicate with calm. Their other job is to start a smoke fire. If any groups have difficulty making it back, even in broad daylight, a smokeing fire is easily seen and followed. Just gotta make it really big. It will also ward off any hungry animals. Animals have a natural fear of fire, but people have a weird fascination with it. This works to our advantage. This fire will also come in handy at night to help keep everyone warm. The smoke will also ward off Mosquitos. Annoying little bugs. Of course, take proper precautions to ensure we don't start a brush fire...
Each group reports in, they tell exactly what they found.
I'm going to fabricate this. South, is a lake. East there is a river. West, there is a large berry patch. North is just forest, which appears to have large populations of herbavores and predaters. Both West and North are forested areas. The river runs South from the North and bends towards the east.
Now, I'd head for the river near the forest. We would be NEAR the river, just not right beside it. Gotta allow room for possible swelling of it come spring... So that places us near the potentially dangerous North Forest and the freshwater river. Well the river part is easy, as the running water allows us to just throw human waste in and its carried away downstream. By this point, we've got food and a fair amount of sticks to sharpen and harden. As such, we now have weapons, food (however meager) and water. 20 people stand whatch overnight to guard the village while the rest sleep. And thats the first day. We'll think of a name for our town later...
Now, here is where things start to get difficult. We have solved the first two basic needs. Those are the ones that are immediately needed, and will help the goal of keeping people in line for the time being. The last thing needed is shelter. Well, that one isn't too hard. Do what the first pioneers did. First, Sharpen some rocks. Since this is essentially the stone age here. Then, start knocking over some trees. Set em up, cut out some sod, place it on top, and you have a makeshift shelter from the sun, though it won't do much for rain. Pileing bark on top with an angular roof acts as shingles, and provides protection against rain. It'll take many days to fully build enough housing for everyone, but before long, a town will start to take shape. Continue forageing for berries, nuts, whatever is edible. We'll work on takeing down some animals once we have some housing up.
At this point, we want to also start fashoning bowls for cooking. Two ways this can be done. Dried and hardened clay. And a hollowed out stone bowl. The stone one would be toughest. Find a big rock. Chip away at it until you have a bowl shape. Turn it over, and chip some more until you have a sort of stand out of it. Now you've got something to cook on! Put a fire under it and get cookin! After you drag it back to camp of course.
So, at this point all 3 needs are solved.
Several days have passed. Its time to use the useless. Inbetween and during this time, some one should have been working with them to teach them basic language skills of English. Point at the grass. "Grass". ect. By the time a week has passed, they should have a VERY basic grasp of English. At this point, put em to work building and cooking. Too dangerous to have them out on the field when they cannot shout or understand any warnings.
At this point, a week later, we have a settlement takeing shape with bare houses and a general congregation area. It is expected that at this time, there isn't much to do but work and rest anyway. No free time when its the survival of the fittest, so a police force isn't necessary. What can you steal when nobody has anything worth stealing? Disagreements are necessary, but you'll have to have the groups try and resolve them themselvs. If they cannot, appoint a neutral arbiter from another group, who will decide for them. A few people would be elected to this postion, and act as judge and jurry. Coincidentally, they'd be the ones remaining at base anyway. They are also the ones helping with construction.
Its also a good idea to expand our food base. Time to get hunting! Fashion some spears. Within a week, we've got a few sharpened stone spears. Get these into groups, have them carry fire (SCARES ANIMALS!!!) And get hunting groups going. The logistics of this are simple. One group chases after and corners it, the fire group shows up and keeps the animal cornered (less likely to charge at fire. And if it does, it'll get speared anyway). Best thing to do is to find a cliff and chase the animal off of it (Natives did this all the time, ever heard of buffalo runs?)
At this point, we've been here for 2 weeks. All the basic needs have been taken care of, and its time to let people roam and get creative on their own a bit. Humanity lives, in general, to better itself. At this point, its time to stop ordering around so much, let them have some free time, and encourage them to develop. However, its also a good idea to start storeing some food. Meat can be dried and burried underground. It'll be safe from predators and it'll freeze and keep over winter. Same with vegtables. Since vegtables cannot be harvested year round, we can use the bark to suppliment diets. This keeps scurvy out of the way as a problem. Boil the bark and drink the water.
As the town develops, people will remember things from their own life. At this early stage, rapid technological development will occur. It'll not take long to make it to the Iron age, assuming some source of Iron is available. Same with Bronze. Rapid development of technologies will occur. People will figure out better ways of storeing food, such as a workable granery. Obviously, farming will begin next year, starting spring. We store seeds this year to facilitate this. River acts as source of irrigation! Once the town is more developed, build a wooden wall around it! This makes guarding much safer and easier. Establish some police force, and some sort of holding jail. Now that societal demands have been met, and everything is running smoothly, and we are no longer on the clock, so to speak, we can begin to figure out where the hell we are and what happend. Exploration occurs. People follow the river, and whatever other landmarks they can find. The population begins to grow. Herbs for medicine are found and collected. At this point, less leading is required for survival, it becomes more of a job manageing a village.
Oh! Lets call our town Eden! Just for the heck of it!
