Human Origins Day!

• Answer the following questions in the Warm-up sections of your binder:

• 1) What information can we gather by studying human origins?

• 2) Do we benefit from this information? Why or why not?

Class Agenda• Essential Questions• Human Origins Notes• Human Origins Activity• Geography Project

Essential Questions1. What is an archaeologist?2. What is carbon dating?3. How can we describe Homo

erectus?4. How can we describe Homo

sapiens?5. What is Stonehenge?

Human Origins in Africa

Where do we come from?

Scientists Search for Origins

• Archaeologists - scientists who learn about early people by excavating and studying the traces of early settlements

Scientists Search for Origins

• Evidence–bones

–artifacts • tools, jewelry, and other human-made objects

Scientists Search for Origins

• Lucy - the oldest human, who was found in Ethiopia

• Carbon Dating - the process of measuring radioactivity to determine the age of objects

Scientists Search for Origins

• Stonehenge is an example of an archaeological site in England

Progress in Paleolithic Age

• Homo Habilis - person with ability–Lived 2.5-1.5 million years ago –Appeared in East Africa –Known as the first toolmaker

• Made first simple stone tools–hunted and gathered food

Progress in Paleolithic Age

• Homo Erectus – person who walks upright–1.8 million to 30,000 years ago –Hunters and gatherers–First to walk upright and use fire–Developed more advanced tools –The first hominids to move from Africa • They moved to India, China, and Europe

Dawn of Modern Humans

N eand erth a l sfi rst H om o sap iens

C ro- M ag nonsm od ern h u m ans

H om o Sap iens - p erson w h o th ink sL i ved betw een 10 0 ,0 0 0 and 4 0 0 ,0 0 0 y ears ago

• Neanderthals – first Homo sapiens–Hunters and gatherers–Sophisticated tools–Built temporary shelters–Planned burials of dead–Cared for disabled members

Dawn of Modern Humans

• Cro-Magnons – modern humans–Hunters and gatherers–Long-distance weapons like

spear-throwers and the bow and arrow

–Planned cooperative big-game hunts

–Advanced skill in spoken language

–Cave paintings

Dawn of Modern Humans