1. Reconstructing Pangaea
CONTINENTAL DRIFT
Reconstructing Pangaea

2. Glossopteris

3. Mesosaurus

4. Lystrosaurus

5. Glacial Striations (scars)

6. Coal Deposits

7. Mountain Ranges

10. Continental drift: an idea before its time
Alfred Wegener
Proposed idea of Continental Drift
Continental drift hypothesis
Supercontinent (one) called Pangaea began breaking apart about 200 million years ago
Continents broke apart and then "drifted" to present positions

11. Fossil Evidence
Both Mesosarus and Glossopteris were organisms that would not of been able to travel to the different continents at the distances that the continents are at today.

13. Wegener’s matching of mountain ranges on different continents

14. Paleoclimatic (Ancient Climate) evidence

15. Pangaea approximately 200 million years ago

16. Pangaea Breakup
To view this animation, click “View” and then “Slide Show” on the top navigation bar.

17. Why was Wegener rejected?
People couldn’t observe the plates moving
The main objection to Wegener's proposal was its inability to provide a correct mechanism
In other words, he couldn’t explain HOW and WHY the continents drift.
Wegner did not have a good reason for the driving force of movement of the plates.
He claimed it was the same forces that influence tides (gravity).

18. Where was Wegener missing evidence from?