15. Social development

Australopithecus Afarensis is an extinct hominid which lived between 3.9 and 2.9 million years ago. This type of hominid was the first type to develop bipedalism, or walking on the hind legs. Also, they developed the feature of having opposable thumbs for hurling stones and sticks at predators. Australopithecus Afarensis were herbivores and did not create or utilize tools in their lifestyle. Australopithecus Boisei could not adapt to their environment well at all, which led to their extinction. Australopithecus Boisei also had very little imagination and did not use tools in their lifestyle. Homo Habilis was the first hominid to carry the genus name Homo. Homo Habilis, meaning Handy Man or man the skillful, added meat to their diet, which lead to the sharing of food among themselves. Homo Habilis used Oldowan tools, the oldest known tools used by hominids, by chipping stones to create sharp edges. Homo Ergaster, also known as Homo Erectus, changed to the Archulean stone tool industry. Archulean tools have a bifacial, symmetrical cutting edge, with a distinct tool form that can be repeated. Different shapes of Archulean tools were used for different purposes. Homo Heidelbergensis used fire to scare away predators and harden tools. Heidelbergensis used their environment for more than just food purposes, but they still had no imagination. Neanderthalensis used stone tools, wore clothes, and developed a language of some sort. Neanderthalensis were almost completely carnivorous; they never ate fish or berries or vegetables. Homo sapiens, or modern humans, became more wise with more developed brains and had imagination and a social structure.

Sources: The history manual, pages 17-19, and class notes from October 6 through October 17. Short Answer Fire gave erectus the time to socialize and by cooking food, increased the neurons in the cerebral cortex, which leads to language, imagination.RB