Early Man Our Human Origins

Warm up  What do you think early humans needed to do to survive?  What tools do you think early humans developed to survive?  What materials did early humans use from their physical environment to make tools?

Scientists Search for Human Origins  Historians often look to written documents to provide a picture of the past.  For thousands of year, people have left records of their culture, beliefs, activities and important events for historians to study.  Unfortunately, due to the lack of written records, the study of prehistoric people offers a special challenge.  Fortunately, scientists like archeologist, anthropologist and paleontologist works as a team to help use uncover how prehistoric people lives.

Archeology  Scientists who learn about early people through excavating and studying the traces of early settlements are called archeologist.  A site being studied by an archeologist is called an archaeological dig and often provides the richest clues on prehistoric life.  At these digs, they analyze evidence called artifacts, such as bones, jewelry, and other human-made objects.  Artifacts provides hints of how people dressed, what work they did and how they may have worshipped.

Examples of Archeological Sites  Stonehenge in England – began in Neolithic Age and was completed in the Bronze Age

Examples of Archeological Sites  Aleppo and Jericho – examples of early cities in Fertile Crescent

Examples of Archeological Sites  Catalhoyuk – example of a Neolithic settlement currently under excavation in Anatolia (Turkey)

Anthropology  Anthropologists study culture, or peoples unique way of life.  They examine the artifacts of archaeologist digs and from these, they can recreate a picture of early people’s cultural behavior – this includes customs, family life and social relationships.

Paleontology  Paleontologist study fossils, or evidence of early life preserved in rock.  Human fossils often consist of small fragments of teeth, skulls, or other bones.  Complex techniques are used to date ancient fossil remains and rocks

Time to play archeologist Time to play archeologist

Imagine… It is the year 3000: You are an alien archeologist from another planet and you have just landed here on Earth. You have come across the remains of individuals who lived on earth 1,000 years ago and have to examine the materials to determine as much information as possible about the species.

Determining Facts and making inferences  Can be made after some observation  Can be made after some observation  Stays within what can be observed  Stays within what can be observed  Can be made in limited number  Provides closest approach to certainty  Provides closest approach to certainty  Can be made any time  Goes beyond what can be observed  Can be made in unlimited number  Shows some degree of probability”

Let’s do one together

Example facts and inferences  A machine was used to print color on the wrapper  Nuts grow on trees on this planet  The society uses symbols to communicate.  There is nutritional information and can give energy.  High percentage of sugar – maybe the person is overweight, hyperactive, or has a sweet tooth.  Individuals may like or respond to the color.  The society may be hygienically obsessed because they wrap their food.  The big words are more important then the smaller words on the wrapper.

Your materials  Shoe box filled with sand and a variety of artifacts.  A T-Chart of facts and inferences you can make about the people/beings you used these objects.  Choose a person to report out your findings

Review  What do archeologist do?  What are 3 examples of archeological sites? Where are they located?  What does an anthropologist study?  What does a paleontologist study?

Continue your activity  Make sure you are coming up with 2-3 facts and 4+ inferences for EACH artifact in your shoe box.  Pick one person in your group to present a few artifacts from your box giving your facts and inferences for each.

Commonalities?  Did any patterns arise among your artifacts?  What can you be sure of and what is speculative?  How is this like what an archeologist does?

The First Footprints  In the mid-1970s, archeologist Mary Leakey led an expedition to Laetoli, Tanzania, in eastern Africa in search of new clues to human origins.  In 1978, they found prehistoric footprints that resembled those of modern humans.  These footprints were made by humanlike beings called australopithecines – these early humans who walk upright are called hominids.

Finding Lucy  While Leakey worked in East Africa, anthropologist Donald Johanson and his team were working in Ethiopia just 1,000 miles north in search of fossils.

 In 1974, his team discovered the skeleton of an adult female hominid who they nicknamed “Lucy” after a famous Beatles song.  “Lucy” was estimated to have lived 3.5 million years ago and was the oldest hominid to date. Becoming Human Video Label Africa Map

Hominids on the move  Lucy and other australopithecines who walked upright were able to travel distances easily.  They were also able to spot threatening animals and carry food and children.  These early hominids also developed the opposable thumb – crucial for tasks like picking up small objects and making tools.

Lucy Us

Let’s see… Let’s see…  What would life be like on all fours?  What would life be like without your thumbs?  What physical toll on the body could walking on all fours take?  Why are our thumbs so important to us in our every day lives?

 Because of the discovery of Lucy and other fossils and artifacts found in east Africa, we know that Homo Sapiens (the species name for modern man meaning “wise men”) emerged from east Africa between 100,000 and 400,000 years ago  Homo Sapiens migrated from Africa to Eurasia, Australia, and the Americas  These early humans were hunters and gatherers whose survival depended on the availability of wild plants and animals

What happened to Lucy?  Write a story explaining your theory as to why Lucy’s species, Australopithecus afarensis, became extinct. You may use research to add factual information to validate their story. You may use drawing(s) to support your story! (stories must be a MINIMUM of 2 paragraphs)