Introductory Question - Introductory Question - Did early man live at the same

time as dinosaurs? • The answer to that one is simple. Nah! No way. Not a

chance.• Nobody knows for sure why dinosaurs disappeared,

but they do know that dinosaurs died out about 65 million years ago. The first hominids (human-like primates) did not appear until 3.6 million years ago.

• Even if scientists are off a few million years or so, early man simply did not live during the same period in history as dinosaurs.

• This is not to say that early man had it easy. They did have to face sabre-toothed tigers, cave lions, and woolly mammoths! But, they did not have to fight dinosaurs!

PHYSICAL PHYSICAL EVOLUTION OF EVOLUTION OF

HUMANS HUMANS

Evolution traces human Evolution traces human development through several development through several stages or species from the first stages or species from the first humanlike beings to modern humanlike beings to modern humans.humans.

Do not know exactly when the Do not know exactly when the evolution of humans and apes evolution of humans and apes divergeddiverged

HOMINIDSHOMINIDS

Humanlike creatures Humanlike creatures began to appear over began to appear over four million years ago. four million years ago. Members of the human Members of the human family tree.family tree.

Distinguished from Distinguished from apes most notably apes most notably By their bipedalism By their bipedalism

(ability to walk on two (ability to walk on two feet)feet)

Larger brain sizeLarger brain size

Bipedalism Bipedalism

Positives of Positives of BipedalismBipedalism Walking on two Walking on two

feet left hands feet left hands free to perform free to perform many tasks, many tasks, including including young over long young over long distances and distances and making tools making tools and weapons.and weapons.

What prompted first What prompted first hominids to begin walking hominids to begin walking

on two feet?on two feet? Can only speculateCan only speculate On theory, still unproven, is that On theory, still unproven, is that

climate change transformed climate change transformed eastern and southern Africa eastern and southern Africa forests into dry, open grasslands.forests into dry, open grasslands.

This terrain might have favoured This terrain might have favoured the survival of apes that could the survival of apes that could walk upright. (have to travel long walk upright. (have to travel long distances)distances)

THE STONE AGETHE STONE AGE

Called the Stone Age Called the Stone Age because most of the because most of the artifacts found from this artifacts found from this time are made of stone.time are made of stone.

Stone Age divides into 3 Stone Age divides into 3 Ages.Ages. Paleolithic or Old Stone Age (2 Paleolithic or Old Stone Age (2

million BCE – 10, 000 BCE)million BCE – 10, 000 BCE) Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age

(10, 000 BCE – 8,000 BCE)(10, 000 BCE – 8,000 BCE) Neolithic or New Stone Age Neolithic or New Stone Age

(8,000 BCE – 5,000 BCE)(8,000 BCE – 5,000 BCE)

Humans who lived Humans who lived in the Stone Age are in the Stone Age are generally classified generally classified into a group called into a group called HOMO.HOMO.

HOMO divided into HOMO divided into two overlapping two overlapping species: HOMO species: HOMO ERECTUS AND ERECTUS AND HOMO SAPIENSHOMO SAPIENS

HOMO HABILISHOMO HABILIS ““Handy Man” flourished in Handy Man” flourished in

Africa about 2.5M years Africa about 2.5M years ago.ago.

First to develop and use First to develop and use stone tools (proof of their stone tools (proof of their ingenuity and creative ingenuity and creative ability)ability)

Brain size and presence of Brain size and presence of humanlike teeth suggest humanlike teeth suggest Homo habilis might have Homo habilis might have been our human ancestor.been our human ancestor.

HOMO ERECTUSHOMO ERECTUS

First appeared about 2 million years ago.First appeared about 2 million years ago. Name refers to the fact that they could Name refers to the fact that they could

walk completely upright, like modern walk completely upright, like modern humanshumans

Skulled shaped different from us. Braincase was Skulled shaped different from us. Braincase was long and broad at the base. Had massive long and broad at the base. Had massive eyebrow ridges and high bony crests at the eyebrow ridges and high bony crests at the neckline.neckline.

HOMO ERECTUSHOMO ERECTUS Probably survived by Probably survived by

hunting wild animals hunting wild animals and gathering plants for and gathering plants for food.food.

With their increasing With their increasing skills, they made tools skills, they made tools of stone, bone and of stone, bone and wood.wood.

First species to use fire First species to use fire and first to migrate into and first to migrate into Europe and Asia from Europe and Asia from AfricaAfrica

HOMO SAPIENSHOMO SAPIENS

““MAN WHO THINKS”MAN WHO THINKS” Formulated the spoken Formulated the spoken

language and developed language and developed more sophisticated tools.more sophisticated tools.

Oldest remains found in Oldest remains found in Hungary others from Hungary others from England, GermanyEngland, Germany

Skull shape is different Skull shape is different from Erectus although the from Erectus although the size is similar.size is similar.

NEANDERTHALSNEANDERTHALS

Located in Europe about 230 Located in Europe about 230 000 years ago – disappeared 000 years ago – disappeared approx. 30, 000 years agoapprox. 30, 000 years ago

From central Europe From central Europe Neanderthals traveled east Neanderthals traveled east into central Asia, even into central Asia, even migrating into the Middle migrating into the Middle EastEast

Questions remains on Questions remains on whether Neanderthals are whether Neanderthals are our direct ancestors or our direct ancestors or whether they were a whether they were a separate species, driven to separate species, driven to extinction by modern extinction by modern humans.humans.

Neanderthals were Neanderthals were formidable hunters formidable hunters and gatherers. and gatherers.

Hunted small Hunted small rhinoceroses and other rhinoceroses and other large animals such as large animals such as elk, bison and even elk, bison and even mammoths. Gathered mammoths. Gathered edible plants, shellfish, edible plants, shellfish, and small reptiles.and small reptiles.

Why did the Neanderthals Why did the Neanderthals disappear?disappear?

Modern humans wiped them out? Modern humans wiped them out? (brought in diseases) (brought in diseases)

Died out because they couldn’t Died out because they couldn’t compete with modern humans?compete with modern humans?

HOMO SAPIENS HOMO SAPIENS SAPIENSSAPIENS

About 40,000 years ago, modern humans About 40,000 years ago, modern humans moved into Europe armed with skills to moved into Europe armed with skills to make clothing, better shelters and more make clothing, better shelters and more efficient hearths.efficient hearths.

Named Cro-Magnon people after the French Named Cro-Magnon people after the French rock-shelter where 3 modern skeletons were rock-shelter where 3 modern skeletons were discovered in 1868discovered in 1868

Cro-Magnons were Homo Sapiens who Cro-Magnons were Homo Sapiens who evolved in Africa and slowly pushed their evolved in Africa and slowly pushed their way into Europe.way into Europe.

Developed the ability to endure colder Developed the ability to endure colder climates, even those as cold as Iceland and climates, even those as cold as Iceland and Greenland.Greenland.

Cro-Magnon people were about as tall as modern Cro-Magnon people were about as tall as modern northwestern Europeans. northwestern Europeans. Men 180 cm Tall.Men 180 cm Tall. Women 180 cm tall.Women 180 cm tall.

Many of the same features as modern Many of the same features as modern northwestern Europeans.northwestern Europeans.

High foreheads, curving noses, large jaws and High foreheads, curving noses, large jaws and small teeth and small teeth.small teeth and small teeth.

Eventually their successors moved into Asia.Eventually their successors moved into Asia. About 30, 000 years ago, they crossed the About 30, 000 years ago, they crossed the

Bering Strait after the retreat of the ice and Bering Strait after the retreat of the ice and entered the Americas, others Australiaentered the Americas, others Australia..

Use your notes and Use your notes and textbook to answer the textbook to answer the

following questions:following questions:1.1. On what continent have the fossils of the On what continent have the fossils of the

earliest human ancestors been found? (p. 8)earliest human ancestors been found? (p. 8)

2.2. Who is Charles Darwin? (p. 9)Who is Charles Darwin? (p. 9)

3.3. Explain the process of natural selection. (p. 10-Explain the process of natural selection. (p. 10-11)11)

4.4. Why was Darwin’s theory considered Why was Darwin’s theory considered revolutionary? (p. 10-11)revolutionary? (p. 10-11)

5.5. Who is Lucy and why is she important? (p.14)Who is Lucy and why is she important? (p.14)

6.6. Do you think human evolution continues or Do you think human evolution continues or have we as a species stopped evolving? Explain have we as a species stopped evolving? Explain your answer. your answer.

1. On what continent have 1. On what continent have the fossils of the earliest the fossils of the earliest human ancestors been human ancestors been

found?found?AfricaAfrica

2. Who is Charles 2. Who is Charles Darwin? Darwin?

English biologistEnglish biologist Known for creating in detail the Known for creating in detail the

theory of evolutiontheory of evolution

3. Explain the process of 3. Explain the process of natural selection.natural selection.

The strongest of a species survives The strongest of a species survives while the weaker dieswhile the weaker dies

Only those who can adapt to their Only those who can adapt to their changing life and surroundings will changing life and surroundings will survivesurvive

Survival of the fittestSurvival of the fittest

4. Why was Darwin’s theory 4. Why was Darwin’s theory considered revolutionary? considered revolutionary?

Darwin’s theory went against the Darwin’s theory went against the popular believe of the time, popular believe of the time, creationism. Creationism is the creationism. Creationism is the belief that God created man and the belief that God created man and the world.world.

5. Who is Lucy and why is 5. Who is Lucy and why is she important?she important?

In 1974, a female hominid was found In 1974, a female hominid was found in Africa. in Africa.

She was named Lucy after the Beatles She was named Lucy after the Beatles song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”

Lucy was 3.18 million years old; the Lucy was 3.18 million years old; the oldest fossil found.oldest fossil found.

This discovery suggests that humans This discovery suggests that humans originated in Africa.originated in Africa.

6. Do you think human 6. Do you think human evolution continues or have we evolution continues or have we as a species stopped evolving? as a species stopped evolving?

Explain your answerExplain your answer. . Humans have evolved for thousands Humans have evolved for thousands

of years, why would we stop now?of years, why would we stop now? Our environment may change Our environment may change

(perhaps caused by global warming), (perhaps caused by global warming), we will have to adapt to survive in we will have to adapt to survive in our new environmentour new environment

Remember, changes are subtle and Remember, changes are subtle and take many generations to take placetake many generations to take place

QuizQuiz1.1. What are primary documents?What are primary documents?

2.2. Give one example of a primary document.Give one example of a primary document.

3.3. What are secondary documents?What are secondary documents?

4.4. Give one example of a secondary document.Give one example of a secondary document.

5.5. Define the term “history”.Define the term “history”.

6.6. What is a creation myth?What is a creation myth?

7.7. What is bi-pedalism?What is bi-pedalism?

8.8. What is an advantage of bi-pedalism?What is an advantage of bi-pedalism?

9.9. How did the Stone Age get its name?How did the Stone Age get its name?

10.10. On which continent did early man originate?On which continent did early man originate?