1. The Theory of Continental Drift

2. Wednesday DO NOW: Hand in HW assignment “Continental Drift”
Pick up the Pink sheet up front, read and complete questions (5 minutes)

3. Continental Drift Theory
Proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1912
About 200 million years ago, all of the continents were combined into one super-continent called “Pangaea”
The continents gradually drifted apart to where they are today

4. Evidence to Support the Theory

5. “Puzzle Pieces”
Continents look like they could be part of a giant jigsaw puzzle

6. Distribution of Fossils
Plant and animal fossils found on the coastlines of different continents
Mesosaurus

7. Sequence of Rocks
Same rock patterns found in South America, India, Africa, Antarctica and Australia

8. Ancient Climates
Tropical plant remains (coal deposits) found in Antarctica
Glaciation in Africa, South America, India, and Australia during the same time

9. Problems With The Theory
No mechanism for movement of continents
Wind and currents could possibly move fossils
Theory was not accepted by scientists