I wanted to add my 2 cents on this subject.  I do not think that our
ancestors had to "work harder" than we in the course of providing food and
shelter.  In fact, in comparison, I believe that hunter-gatherers spent far
less time in obtaining food, etc. than we do.  We work, generally, 8+ hours
per day to provide food, shelter, and other necessities for ourselves and
our family.  Vacations and free time are usually more work than not.
Hunter-gatherers rested a great deal more than we on a day-to-day basis.

I am not deifying hunter-gatherers, but do believe their quality of life was
better than ours.  Could I go live as a hunter-gatherer today?  ABSOLUTELY
NOT!  I am simply not equipped physically or emotionally, and do not have
the skills required to survive as one.  However, had I been raised in a
tribe, I would certainly be able to survive as an adult, and would probably
feel that life was great!

Read any of the books about indigenous tribes, particularly in conflict with
Western culture, and you will see that neither the tribesmen nor the
Westerners could survive in the other's world very well.  But the indigenous
people were generally more happy in their natural environment than we in
ours.

Brad Cooley