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Origins of Modern Humans

Origins of Modern Humans. Who was our earliest Hominid Ancestor?. “Lucy” Australopithecus afarensis 3.2 million years ago Discovered by Donald Johanson Ethiopia Larger brain than ape Jutting jaw, prominent brow bones, flared cheekbones Under 4 ft. Bipedal Small social groups

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Origins of Modern Humans

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  1. Origins of Modern Humans

  2. Who was our earliest Hominid Ancestor? • “Lucy” • Australopithecus afarensis • 3.2 million years ago • Discovered by Donald Johanson • Ethiopia • Larger brain than ape • Jutting jaw, prominent brow bones, flared cheekbones • Under 4 ft. • Bipedal • Small social groups • Simple tools • Ate insects, eggs, fruit • NO spoken language • What were the advantages? • More efficient • Energy/Calorie savings • More offspring

  3. Who was Paranthropus boisei? • 1.9 – 1.5 million years ago • heavyset, with gorilla-like face • led by a dominant male whose strength and power holds the group together • Well adapted to the dry arid conditions • huge teeth, strong jaws • Ate tough vegetation like tubers and roots • Became extinct • What were the advantages? • Well adapted to his environment

  4. Homo habilis (“handy man”)1.9 – 1.5 million years ago • Africa • 1931-Louis Leakey found stone tool at Olduvai Gorge • 1959-more bones found • 1987-partial skeleton found by Johanson • Larger brain, smaller back teeth • Apelike arms • 5 ft tall, 100 lbs • Meat eater, scavenger • What were the advantages? • Bigger brain led to tool use

  5. O what continents did Homo erectus groups migrate after leaving Africa? What do the migration routes of Homo Sapiens reveal about their survival skills and ability to adapt?

  6. Homo erectus1.8- million – 200,000 years ago • Africa, Asia, Europe • migrated out of Africa  • Evolved into homo sapiens • Large brain • Smooth, round forehead; single brow ridge; protruding jaw; large back teeth; no chin • Tall, thin, barrel-chested, narrow pelvis • Fully upright stance • Flint hand-axes • Controlled fire • Huts made of tree branches • Meat • Possible spoken language

  7. Homo ergaster (Homo erectus too)1.5 -1 million years ago • Africa • long, modern looking noses cooled air • hairless bodies, millions of tiny sweat glands • Bigger brains • complex understanding of the natural world • expert toolmakers • big brains for understanding others in their group

  8. Homo heidlebergensis400,000 – 100,000 years ago • Extinct • Africa, Europe, Asia • may be ancestor to neanderthalensis • Blended elements of both neanderthalensis and modern humans

  9. Homo neanderthalensis230,000 – 30,000 years ago • Europe, western Asia, Near East • extinct • Larger brain than modern humans • Bulge at back of skull • Bony brows, jutting face, heavy jaw, receding chin • Stocky short limbed bodies • Thick, heavy bones and powerful muscles • Used sophisticated tools • Hunted large animals in groups • Cared for sick, old, wounded • Made clothing • Simple language

  10. Homo sapiens (“wise man”)130,000 years ago • Lived at same time as Neanderthal • Lighter skeleton • Large brain • Smaller teeth • finely crafted and diverse tools • more efficient foraging strategies • more complex social organization • the full development of spoken language • artistic expression • Spiritual beliefs

  11. 2 million BC-Early People begin using stone tools 30,000 BC-Stone age people create art

  12. 9,000 BC-people settle and grow crops 18,000 BC huge glaciers spread across the northern hemisphere

  13. Controversy Out of Africa Theory • Homo sapiens started in Africa and migrated to populate the world • Multiregional Theory • evolution and diversification of modern homo sapiens took place across a large geographic region that encompassed Africa, Asia, and Europe. • no single cradle of origin but a "thousand points of light."

  14. What makes us Human?

  15. Unique Human Traits • self-awareness • meta cognition • “reading” others • morality • collaboration toward common goals • speech • symbolic cognition • nimble thumbs • conscience • imagination • impulse control • altruism

  16. The Old Stone Age2 million BC-10,000 BC • Earliest period of human history • Fossil evidence of early hominids found in East Africa by the Leakeys • Johansson found “Lucy” in Africa • Descendants migrated out of Africa and throughout the rest of the world

  17. What were the characteristics of the Paleolithic Age?2 million BCE – 10,000 BCE • Paleo = “Old” • foraged for food • nomadic • simple tools • built shelters • egalitarian social groups-2-30 people • genders fairly equal • belief in spiritual world

  18. What are the characteristics of Hunter/Gatherers? • small foraging bands • nomadic • dependent on environment but adapted to it • -clothing • controlled fire • simple tools • spoken language

  19. What were the religious beliefs of Paleolithic peoples? • Animistic • Cave paintings • “Venus” sculptures • Buried the dead

  20. What changed during the Neolithic Period? Dependency on Natural Resources *Before: Moved with their food supply *After: Water and good soil for crops Government *Before: Families (male ruled) evolutionary, from family to village to city. *After: Chief with council. Economy *Before: No real economy *After: Barter system Technology *Before: Stone tools After: Farming, baking and firing pottery, specialized tools, bronze tools and weapons

  21. What Changed during the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution?

  22. What were the characteristics of the Neolithic Age? • Farming began • settled into permanent villages • New skills & tools • Pottery • Bronze tools & weapons • Domesticated animals • Dog as helper/companion • Cattle, goats sheep pigs • Selective breeding • Food, fertilizer, clothing

  23. How did life change during the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution? • More reliable food supply-less varied • Population growth • Division of Labor • Job specialization • Personal property • Conflict? • Cooperation?

  24. Life in Neolithic Communities • Organized around kinship and marriage • Clans and lineages basis of land ownership • Matriarchal • Patriarchal society

  25. Neolithic Culture • Religion-ancestors-earth-sky • Agriculture-Earth Mother-source of all new life • Male Sky God-all powerful • Burials and ancestor cults (megaliths & ziggurats)

  26. Language Diffusion

  27. Early Towns and Specialists • Villages grew into towns-farmers • Centers of trade & craft specialization • Elaborate houses and temples, food surpluses

  28. Jericho8,000 BCE • 10 acre settlement-mud houses • Several thousand people • Massive stone wall-defense • 12 feet tall and 6 feet thick

  29. Catal Huyuk7,000-5,000 BCE • 32 acres-mud houses-elaborately decorated • No defensive wall-but outer houses had no windows facing outside-effective barrier • Long distance trade and fine arts and crafts-religious artifacts

  30. What were some new technologies of the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution? • Calendars • Use animals to plow • Stronger, specialized tools • Weaving cloth • pottery

  31. Is the word “Civilization” problematic?

  32. Characteristics of Civilization • Advanced cities • Specialized Workers • Complex Institutions • Record Keeping • Advanced Technology

  33. Advanced Cities: Urbanization

  34. Record Keeping: Literacy

  35. Complex Institutions: Religion

  36. Complex Institutions: Government

  37. Specialized Workers: Social Structure

  38. How did the First Cities Emerge? • Farmers cultivated land along fertile river valleys • produced surplus • Population expanded • Villages grew into cities

  39. Ur: Sumer’s earliest city

  40. Ur: Agricultural Economy

  41. Ur: Urbanization

  42. Ur: Trade

  43. Ur: Temple as Center of City Life

  44. River Valley Civilizations

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