Chapter 2 Early Hominids - PowerPoint Presentation

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Chapter 2

Early Hominids

2.2: Australopithecus

Afarensis: Lucy and Her Relatives

AustralopithecusEarliest group of hominids“Southern Ape”Found in Africa

LucyBelonged to Australopithecus AfarensisFound in the Afar Triangle

Was about 3 feet tall

Mix of human and ape features

Large head

Forehead and jaw stuck out

2.3: Lucy and Her Relatives: Walking on Two Feet

Similar HominidsLived about 3 to 4 million years ago

Early forms of humansBipeds – walk on two feetGave advantagesCould gather and carry food easier

Could defend themselvesDifferences from HumansBrain was about 1/3 the size No tools have been foundNo spoken language

2.4: Homo Habilis

: Handy Man

Homo HabilisBones found amongst toolsCalled “Handy Man” in honor of its ability to make tools

Lived about 1.5 to 2 million years agoHad a combination of human and ape featuresWalked on two feetTaller than Lucy

Features slightly more humanlike

Brains were twice the size of Lucy’s

Found only in Africa

Living together helped with protection, surviving, and collecting food

2.5: Handy Man: The Toolmaker

ToolsUsed rocks as chopping tools

Sharp rocks were used for cuttingAnimal bones for diggingProcessHad to imagine what kind of tool to makePlan how to make it

Craft it Pass the knowledge on to others

AdvantagesCutting tools allowed meat to be taken from dead animals

Create traps to catch animals

2.6: Homo Erectus

: Upright Man

Homo ErectusDiscovered in 1891, before Lucy and Handy ManNamed “Upright Man” because its bones indicated that it stood up straightWas around from 1.8 million to 200,000 BCE

Believed to be the first hominids to migrate out of AfricaTaller, thinner than early hominidsBones were strong

Made for good walkers and runners

Face looked more like modern humans

Foreheads were round and smooth

Large ridge above the eyes

Thicker skull

2.7: Upright Man: Traveling with Fire

Upright ManToolmakers

Invented more complex toolsStrong hand-axes made of stoneUsed fireRemains show cooked animal meatHelp survive cold

Protect themselves from animalsAte more meat than earlier hominidsRed deer, elephant, rhinoceros, goat, boar, and oysters

Created oval huts

Posts covered in tree branchesBuilt shelters as they migratedHelped them live in colder climates and where there was no shelter

2.8: Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis

: Neanderthals

Homo SapiensDiscovered in 1856 in the Neander Valley in GermanyCalled Neanderthal Man

Lived from 230,000 to 30,000 years agoLived in Africa, the Near East, Europe, and parts of AsiaShorter, stockier than modern humansMuch stronger

Had large brains

Skilled toolmakersCreated knives, scrapers, and spear pointsMade sharp, thin bladesTools helped them survive

Traveled and lived in groups

2.9: Neanderthals: A Sense of Community

Sense of community

When members died, were buried in mounds with tools and flowersShows that they cared about each other and had a sense of ritualHuntingWorked together to surround, trap, and kill the animal

Cared for the injured and sickLearned from experience and older members of the groupExisted with modern humans for about 10,000 years

2.10: Homo Sapiens Sapiens

: Early Modern Humans

“Doubly Wise Man”Created the first ever cave paintingsLived from 35,000 to 12,000 BCEOriginated in Africa

Spread to Europe, Asia, AustraliaEventually to North and South America through land bridges

Looked more like modern humans

High, rounded skullsLarge brainsSmall teethSlender bones

Bodies didn’t adapt to cold as well as NeanderthalsSurvived by creating better tools, shelter, and clothingTools

Attached thin blades to bone, antler, and stoneUsed to engrave, sculpt, and sew

Weapons

Made hooks and spears to catch fishInvented the spear thrower and bow and arrowNew weapons allowed them to hunt from a distance

2.11: Early Modern Humans: The First Artists

Express themselves in a variety of waysPainted on cave walls

Carved images out of clay, bone, flint, and ivoryMusical instrumentsInspiration for ImagesThe world around them

Their imagination, such as mythical creatures