Things that make us human
This was the first trait to develop.
Bi-pedalism: the ability to walk on 2 legs
This is a natural process that wears away rock layers and can reveal ancient fossils and artifacts buried beneath.
Erosion
How long ago did human evolution begin?
6 million years ago
How many different species of early man are there?
15-20
This was necessary for cooperation and organized hunts.
Language - ability to speak
Paint brushes and dental tools are examples of this.
Tools used by archaeologists
What is human evolution?
The lengthy process of change by which people originated from apelike ancestors.
What do paleoanthropologists still argue about?
How many different species were there? How were they related? Which ones simply died out?
This allowed early humans to think more complex thoughts.
A large and complex brain
What is the study of human evolution called?
Paleoanthropology
What classification do humans and apes belong to?
Primates
What happened to most species of early man?
They died out and left no living descendants.
This allowed early humans to hunt and butcher larger animals.
The ability to make and use tools
These specific things or remains give us important clues about the past.
Bones, tools, footprints and remains of cooking fires
Where can we find the earliest evidence of human evolution?
Africa
Name an example of a species that died out.
Neanderthal
Music, poetry, festivals are all examples of this.
Art and culture
Name a natural disaster that can cause human remains to be preserved naturally.
Flash floods, mudslides, volcanic eruptions...
Why don't we know everything about human evolution?
We haven't discovered everything yet and no written records were kept.
What is the missing link?
The name for the unknown species that directly connects us to gorillas and chimpanzees