Difference between revisions of "History 8 Human Origins Concepts"

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Concepts:

Advantages and disadvantages of bipedalism

The advantages of being a biped is that it saves your energy, helps you see over things, and and gives you a better chance of survival and reproducing. However, there are many disadvantages, like the fact that if you are standing high predators can see you much more easily. Also bipeds are much slower than quadrupeds because they use two limbs instead of one.

Australopithecus Lifestyle

Reasons for extinction of Australopithecus

Homo habilis Characteristics The Homo habilis developed on Earth 2.3 million years BC. These hominids had a 50% larger brain than the preceding australopithecines, and ate both plants and animals. This ancient creature is known for the ability to make tools, hinting his name the Homo "habilis", habilis meaning "handy man". Standing and average of only four feet tall, and weighing no more than 110 pounds, the Homo habilis were hardly a modern day human size. The teeth of the habilis were black, and smaller than the australopithecines. One of their most unique features was their ability to sweat. Sweating allowed them to keep their body temperature down, so they could hunt in the heat of day. The Homo habilis were a great step forward in the evolution of humans. Two helpful sources were the: http://www2.sjs.org/beniretto/Origins (The origins section of the lab manuel pg. 17) https://www.msu.edu/~robin400/habilis.html

*Effects of Meat in diet

**Sweating

**Factors in Brain growth There were many factors in the brain growth of H. Ergaster and H. Erectus. Their diet began to include meat and the protien and nutrients from the meat gave their brains the necessary vitamins to grow and expand. Also, their means of getting food - hunting and scavenging - demanded more intelegence, to coem up with tactics concerning how to find food and what is good to eat. Also, the actual actions of making prmiative tools literaly expanded the brain capacity. Lastly, the search for material for tools required memory, unlike just eating grass os picking leaves off a tree did. For more information, go to page 18 in the the manual.

**Problems with large brain/solution

H. ergaster/ H. erectus Characteristics 1.9 million years ago, another species of Homo named Homo Ergaster (the worker) emerged in Africa. This species is also known as Homo Erectus, which is sometimes used for later populations in Asia. Homo Ergaster had a rounded cranium and a prominent browridge. Its teeth were also reduced in size. Several features that distinguish H.Ergaster from H. Erectus are thinner bones of the skull and the lack of an obvious sulcus (a depressing just behind the browridge). The average was measured 950cc to H. habilis 800cc. Using this improved mental capability, H. Ergaster took to the art of tool making beyond just chipping rocks. They developed the ability to make symmetrical pear-shaped hand axes. They made it easier for H. Ergaster to butcher carcasses of meat and clean the flesh off the hide. The sharing of this meat also allowed relationships to develop in the community. They also used different sounds to communicate with each other. Food also led to conflict between H. Ergaster. They fought over food and mates more often then other species.

**Climate and its effects From about two million BC to 8,000 BC, it was not particularly comfortable anywhere in the world. Variations in the Earth's orbit and constant shifts in the shapes of the continent caused a constantly-changing climate, alternating between ice ages and warmer periods called intergalcials, alternating every hundred thousand years. During an interglacial, such as as one we are experiencing today, the regions near the equator experienced frequent rainfall, and the southern and northern parts of the world experienced temperate climates. Each 9interglacial period eventually grew colder, and ice spread to the south until it covered to europe and North America. Northern Asia was free of ice because because it lacked rain. Then after a few thousand or even a few hundred years, the glacial period reached a peak and was replaced by a new interglacial period, and they cycle repeated.

* Glacial periods In the year 16000 BCE, about the time the most recent Ice Age was at its climax, parts of North America and Europe reached temperatures as much as 65˚F lower than they are now. Between one-third and one quarter of the Earth's land surface was covered in ice, sometimes two miles deep. Significant changes in Earth's geography and climate occurred because so much of the water was locked up in these ice sheets. Sea level dropped dramatically, by about 410 ft, uncovering boundless areas of what was seabed before. The effects were huge, from rainfall levels plummeting to whole bodies of water drying up to a huge new continent emerging in Southeast Asia. Also, vegetation was scattered by fierce winds. Because of all that, Earth's vegetation belts moved much closer to the Equator than they are currently. Human beings were compelled to adapt their lifestyles to the mass of effects the glacial periods had on the world. In the process, they developed hunting strategies that allowed them to survive the Ice Age. **Fire

Fire was first used as a tool by Homo ergaster. Fire was essential for surviving in the new climate they would have to adapt to. Fire was later used as a tool to hunt by driving big game over cliffs or into enclosed areas where the animals could be attacked easily.

**Social develpment

H. heidelbergensis

Characteristics of Neandertal

**Tools

Oldowan Tools Oldowan tools are the oldest known tools in history. These stone tools date as far back as 2.5 million years ago. They were used as a chopping or cutting edge by Homo habilis. Homo habilis were the first to manufacture Oldowan tools. These tools could be used to butcher animal carcasses or to smash bones to obtain the bone marrow. The tools were first found in Tanzania. Oldowan tools were a huge milestone in human evolutionary history.

Acheulean Tools About 1.6 million years ago, Acheulean tools were the most sophisticated objects on the planet. They were first manufactured by Homo erectus. They were used as hand axes and cleavers. Acheulean tools were used by Homo ergaster and western Homo erectus. Acheulean tools were usually pear shaped, teardrop shaped, or rounded in outlin. They were usually 12–20 cm long.

Neanderthals Neanderthals further refined tools. They used a new, advanced technique to make these tools. These tools were used for attacking large mammals. Neanderthal's tools mainly consisted of knives or hand axes.

**Cultural life

**Mental development

Characteristics of H. sapiens

**technology

**blade and burin society

**weapons

**social organization

**dispersed leadership

**cooperation and its effects

**communication/art

**other advances

Explain both the multiregional and diffusionism/ Out of Africa hypotheses

H. sapiens is the only hominid left. Why?

H. sapiens were able to settle in such diverse habitats. Give reasons and rationale.

Id The Aurignacians

ID Gravettians

ID Magdalenians

Natufians

What effect did settling down have on the species?