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II. Homo habilis - (“handy man”) - enlargement of human brain, stone tools. East Africa. III. Homo erectus - extension to other continents, change in diet,

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Presentation on theme: "II. Homo habilis - (“handy man”) - enlargement of human brain, stone tools. East Africa. III. Homo erectus - extension to other continents, change in diet,"— Presentation transcript:

1 II. Homo habilis - (“handy man”) - enlargement of human brain, stone tools. East Africa. III. Homo erectus - extension to other continents, change in diet, larger proportion of meat (hunted), taller, larger brain capacity. Caves, built fires, animal skin clothing, refined tools, social cooperation. African, Asian, European, Australian. IV.Neanderthals (descendant of H. erectus /early Homo sapien) - Heavier browridges than us, less pronounced chins, brains slightly larger than ours, skilled toolmakers, burials, rituals, abstract thought. “Caveman.” Europe, Middle East, Asia.

2 V. Homo sapiens - regionally diverse. A. Archaic Homo sapiens. Oldest is over 300,000 years old, Africa. Can include Neanderthals. B. Cro-Magnon - like modern humans, caves of France, 35,000 years old. C. Homo sapiens sapiens - modern humans Cro-Magnon www.mos.org/.../fossils/ fossilview.php?fid=55

3 What happened to various Homo erectus descendants? 2 Hypotheses: 1. Multiregional hypothesis - Modern humans evolved simultaneously in different parts of the world. Accounts for genetic similarity due to interbreeding among neighboring populations. 2. “Out of Africa” hypothesis (or “replacement hypothesis”) - Modern humans arose from a single archaic group in Africa. Neanderthals and others outside Africa were evolutionary dead ends. Spread out of Africa about 100,000 years ago. Genetic evidence mostly supports this, from comparing mitochondrial DNA.

4 Cultural Evolution - Erect stance - most radical anatomical change in our evolution. Required major remodeling of foot, pelvis, vertebral column. Enlargement of brain - secondary alteration - made possible by prolonging growth period of the skull and its contents. Lengthens parental care and child’s ability to benefit from experiences of earlier generations. Culture - transmission of accumulated knowledge over generations by language, both written and spoken. 3 major culture stages: Nomads, Agriculture, Industrial “However: we are probably no more intelligent than our cave-dwelling ancestors - we just have cumulative experience of hundreds of generations passed along to us by parents, books, electronic media, and YOUR TEACHERS:)” (Do you agree or disagree with that last statement?) Creations by Cro-Magnon wildlife artists - 30,000 years ago.


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