The Paleozoic or Palaeozoic Era (from the Greek palaio, "old" and zoe, "life", meaning "ancient life") is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon.
An overview of the era from the UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology.
An intro to the Paleozoic era, includes a review of each of the geological sub-divisions and the various forms of life that lived during this time