The Origin of Humans

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The Origin of Humans
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• 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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