1. Pangaea and Continental Drift

2. In 1915, Alfred Wegner, came up with the theory of “Continental Drift.” He believed that Earth’s crust drifted slowly on top of a liquid core. He hypothesized that Earth was one super continent that he called Pangaea. Pangaea means “All Land”

3. Wegner also proposed that Pangaea first broke into 2 large land masses, Laurasia and Gondwanaland. These two continents would continue to be broken apart over time.

4. Fossil evidence also supports this theory. Tropical plants have been found in coal deposits in Antarctica.

5. Today’s theory of Plate Tectonics is a more complete picture that includes evidence that the continents have moved and are still moving

6. Evidence for Continental Drift Go to p. 277-278 in book. Write the different clues for evidence of Pangaea. Fossil clues Widespread plant clues Climate clues Rock clues