The Origin of Humans

65 Million Years Ago No matter what you may have seen in the movies, early man did not live during the same period in history as dinosaurs! Dinosaurs died out about 65 million years ago. The first human like hominids did not appear until around 3 million years ago.

Fossils & Artifacts Scientists use many clues to help them put pieces of the past together. Early humans did not write their history, so it must be interpreted. Fossils are remains of living things (plants, animals, people), not things that were made. Artifacts are remains of things that were made, not remains of living things.

What can fossils or artifacts tell us? How people moved How people hunted What was important to early people How long people lived Age of each being Advances in technology

How did we learn about ancient humans? Lucy --> Oldest skeleton found 3.5 million years old Found in Ethiopia Named Lucy because the archeologists were listening to a Beatles song called “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

Early Discoveries

The Paleolithic Age “Paleolithic” --> “Old Stone” Age 2,500,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE Made tools hunting (men) & gathering (women)  small bands of 20-30 humans NOMADIC (moving from place to place)

Fun Test: Try to pick up a coin without your thumb Stage 1 4,000,000 BCE – 1,000,000 BCE Hominids --> any member of the family of two-legged primates that walks upright Australopithecines – Human like beings An Opposable Thumb- thumb can cross the palm Fun Test: Try to pick up a coin without your thumb

The Paleolithic Age Humans during this period found shelter in caves. Cave paintings left behind.

Stage 2 1,6000,000 BCE – 30,000 BCE HOMO ERECTUS ( “Upright Human Being” ) Larger and more varied tools --> primitive technology First hominid to migrate and leave Africa for Europe and Asia. First to use fire ( 500,000 BCE )

Stage 3 200,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE HOMO SAPIENS ( “Wise Human Being” ) Neanderthals ( 200,000 BCE – 30,000 BCE ) Cro-Magnons ( 40,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE )

Stage 3 NEANDERTHALS: Neander Valley, Germany (1856) First humans to bury their dead. Made clothes from animal skins. Lived in caves and tents.

Stage 3 CRO-MAGNONs: Homo sapiens sapiens ( “Wise, wise human” ) By 30,000 BCE they replaced Neanderthals.

Gorilla Skull Gorilla Skull

The Neolithic Age Nomadic lifestyle  settled, stationery lifestyle. “Neolithic”  “New Stone” Age 10,000 BCE – 4,000 BCE Gradual shift from: Nomadic lifestyle  settled, stationery lifestyle. Hunting/Gathering  agricultural production and domestication of animals.

What are the benefits/costs of each lifestyle? Nomad Stationary Move where the food is No steady incoming of food Experience new land Increase in trade and cultural ideas Steady food Develop technology Develop own culture Can destroy the land Sheltered ideas