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The Origin of Humans

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Title: The Origin of Humans


1
The Origin of Humans
2
  • Theories on prehistory and early man constantly
    change as new evidence come to light. Louis
    Leakey

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Evolution
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Evolution
  • Charles Darwin Theory of Evolution
  • Gradual change over many generations
  • Widely held notion that all life is related and
    has descended from a common ancestor.
  • Complex creatures evolve from more simplistic
    ancestors over time.
  • Natural Selection (Survival of the Fittest)
    Random genetic mutations occur and the good
    aspects are kept to aid survival
  • Failure to evolve in response to the
    environmental changes can and often does lead to
    extinction.

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  • 20th Century archaeological discoveries in
    Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Southern
    Africa indicate that humankind originated in
    Africa.

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Old Stone Age Paleolithic Age
  • Started around 2 million years ago and ended
    around 8000 B.C.E
  • Nomadic moving from place to place hunting and
    gathering
  • Hominids Any member of the family of two-legged
    primates that includes all humans.

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Australopithecine
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Australopithecine
  • 4.4 to 2.8 millions years ago
  • Some teeth were human-like
  • Approximately 1.2 m tall
  • Molars like chimpanzee
  • Walked upright
  • Arm bone structure different than ape
  • There are many types of australopithecines that
    continued to evolve over millions of years.
  • Characterized by heavily brow ridges, large skull
    and slopping forehead
  • Walked slightly bow-legged

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Australopithecine
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Example of Australopithecine Lucy
  • Discovered in Ethiopia in 1974 by Donald Johanson
  • The skeleton was 40 complete
  • About 3.5 million years old
  • 25-30 year old female
  • Named after the Beatles song Lucy in the Sky
    with Diamonds

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Homo Habilis Handy Man
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Homo Habilis Handy Man
  • The first true humans
  • Found in East Africa
  • Nomadic
  • Created basic stone tools
  • Main diet was fruits vegetables
  • Built campfires but did not know how to make fire

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Homo Habilis Handy Man
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Homo Erectus Upright Man
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Homo Erectus Upright Man
  • Existed between 1.8 million years ago and 300,000
    years ago
  • First to look like people
  • No Chin Low long Skull Large Molars
  • Thick brow ridges Protruding Jaw
  • Skeleton more robust than modern humans which
    indicates great strength
  • Found in Africa, Asia and Europe
  • (about 1 million years ago began to leave Africa
    because the Ice Age produced bridges allowing for
    travel)
  • Tool making skills were considerably improved
    Stone axes and knives
  • Had fire making skills

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Homo Erectus and Modern Man
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Australopithecus Homo Erectus
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Homo Sapiens Wise Man
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Homo Sapiens Wise Man
  • First appeared about 500,000 years ago
  • Skull characteristics of both Homo Erectus
    Modern Humans
  • Skeleton and teeth are smaller than Homo Erectus,
    but larger than Modern Humans
  • Large brow ridges, receding forehead and chin

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Homo Sapiens Wise Man
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Homo Habilis Homo Sapien
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Tools of Homo Sapiens
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Neanderthals
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Neanderthals
  • Existed between 230,000 and 30,000 years ago.
  • Europe and the Middle East
  • Named after the Neander Valley in Germany
  • Protruding jaw Receding forehead
  • Short, Solid Short Limbs
  • Mid-face area protruded, probably adaptation
    to cold
  • Height Average 56
  • Extraordinarily strong by todays standards
  • Skeletons showed they lived extremely hard lives

31
Neanderthals
  • Great Hunters
  • First to bury their dead
  • Lived in caves and tents
  • Known as cavemen
  • Made clothes from animal skin
  • and used animal tusks of animals
  • to make needles
  • Stone axes

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Neanderthals
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Homo Sapiens Sapiens Wise, Wise Man
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Homo Sapiens Sapiens Wise, Wise Man
  • Replaced the Neanderthals
  • Cro-Magnon People (Modern Man)
  • First appeared about 195,000 years ago
  • Made more delicate efficient tools
  • Carved fishhooks, harpoons needles
  • Began to build shelters out of animal skin
  • Paintings left on cave walls

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Homo Sapiens Sapiens Wise, Wise Man
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Tools
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Cave Painting
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Middle Stone Age Mesolithic Age
  • 8000 B.C.E to 6000 B.C.E.
  • Climate grew warmer grasslands forests
  • Improved weapons tools
  • 1st pottery, which was used to store food water
  • Besides fishhooks harpoons, they weaved nets
    used canoes for fishing and travel
  • Domesticated dogs for hunting protection

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The New Stone Age Neolithic Age
  • 6000 B.C.E. to 3500 B.C.E.
  • Planted seeds started farming
  • Farming is known as the Neolithic Revolution
  • Kept herds of animals (cattle sheep), which
    added meat to the diet
  • Used cattle oxen to pull plows

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The New Stone Age Neolithic Age
  • Built sturdy houses villages started to form
  • Decorative pottery, dishes ornaments
  • Weaved cloth from plant fiber animal hair
  • Polished stone
  • Invention of the wheel axels and later simple
    carts

42
The New Stone Age Neolithic Age
  • Specialization of labour Separation and
    assignment of jobs according to the skills of
    individuals
  • Markets and trading
  • Economy, , class system
  • More leisure time
  • There was a form of government, which regulated
    customs and rules for protection
  • Culture developed
  • Stonehenge was built

43
The Bronze Age
  • 4000 B.C.E.
  • Bronze ended the New Stone Age
  • Bronze was made from copper tin
  • Bronze was 1st found in the Middle East
  • beginning of a metals industry
  • Stronger weapons, tools, swords, shields

44
The Bronze Age
  • Bronze improved productivity in farming Digging
    sticks, plows, tools of irrigation and sickles
  • The potters wheel invented
  • Simple sailing and navigation trade with
    distant places
  • Development of specialization urbanization
  • Urbanization Growth of cities due to migration
    of people to them

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Civilization
  • Centralized Government
  • Occupational Specialization
  • Agricultural Intensification
  • State Religion
  • Class Structure
  • Development of Writing Science
  • Merchants Trade

46
Rivers Civilizations
  • Civilizations relied on rivers for
  • Steady source of water
  • Fertile soil
  • Fish to supplement their diet
  • Transportation
  • Communication throughTrade and Exchange of ideas
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