Outcome: Human Origins in Africa

Origins of Agriculture, Culture, & Civilization

Science vs. Religion

Human Origins in Africa1. Setting the Stage: Who are we?

a. No written history to studyb. Important: The story is not completec. Evolution vs. Creationism- We will not take a side but

simply look at what has been found.

Search for Evidence

KT Asteroid

Human Origins in Africa2. Scientists Search for Human Origins

a. Prehistory: Time before written history, roughly 5,000 years ago

i. For thousands of years people have recorded information about their beliefs, activities, and important events using varying forms of written language

ii. Without written records, scientists face many challenges

Human Origins in Africab. Scientific Clues

i. Scientists work like detectives uses excavated sitesii. Artifacts: human-made objects such as tool and

jewelry are examined and studiediii. Anthropologists study culture or a people’s unique way of

lifeiv. Paleontologists study fossils or evidence of early life

preserved in rocksv. From these clues anthropologists attempt to recreate a

picture of early human’s cultural behavior

Human Origins in Africad. Mary Leaky

i. Archeologist who led an expedition in Tanzania in East Africa

ii. 1978 they discovered Laetoli Footprints made by humanlike beings now called australopithecines, a hominid

iii. Humans and other creatures that walk upright are called hominids

Human Origins in Africac. Lucy

i. Unusually complete skeleton of female hominidii. Discovered by Donald Johanson in 1974iii. Named after Beatles song “Lucy in the Sky with

Diamonds”iv. Dated to be 3.5 million years old

Lucy

Mary Leakey & the Laetoli Footprints

Human Origins in Africa3. The Old Stone Age Begins

a. The invention of tools, mastery over fire and development of language are believed to have occurred during the Stone Age which has two parts:

i. Paleolithic Age: Old Stone Age roughly 2.5 million B.C. to 8000 B.C.

ii. Neolithic Age: New Stone Age roughly 8000 B.C. to 3000 B.C.

iii. People learned to polish stone tools, make pottery, grow crops and raise animals in New Stone Age

Human Origins in Africa4. Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, Cro-Magnons,

and Homo sapiensa. Timeline on p.8-9b. Developed technology or ways of applying knowledge, tools,

and inventions to meet their needsc. Evolutionists: Missing link?d. Creationists discard this theory

Human Origins in Africa5. New Findings Add to Knowledge

a. Fossils, Tools, and Cave Paintingsb. Toumai Skull

i. 7 million year old skull found in northern Chadii. Similar to chimpanzeeiii. Is the skull human or ape? Needs further study

Human Origins in Africa AD actually stands for the Latin phrase

"anno domini" which means "in the year of our Lord." The B.C. / A.D. dating system is not taught in the Bible. It actually was not fully implemented and accepted until several centuries after Jesus' death

Human Origins in Africa Roman Numerals