Human Evolution Flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts in human evolution, based on lecture notes.

What is the estimated age of the Precambrian era?

4.6 billion years ago

What major event occurred approximately 500 million years ago during the Paleozoic era?

Plants, fungi, and animals began to colonize land

Which era is known as the 'Dinosaurs period'?

Mesozoic era

When did the majority of mammals appear?

50 million years ago during the Cenozoic era

Approximately when did the evolutionary path of humans and apes diverge?

5 million years ago

When did the ape-man Australopithecus appear?

4 million years ago

When did the handy man Homo habilis appear?

2.4 million years ago

When did the working man Homo ergaster appear?

1.9 million years ago

When did the upright man Homo erectus appear?

1.8 million years ago

What is the average cranial capacity of Australopithecus?

400cm3

What is the average cranial capacity of Homo sapiens?

1,300cm3

How does the Multiregional model explain the origin of humans?

Modern humans evolved in many parts of the world from regional descendants of Homo erectus.

How does the Monogenesis model explain the origin of humans?

Only the African descendants of Homo erectus gave rise to all the diverse populations of modern humans.

What evidence supports the Monogenesis model?

Mitochondrial DNA divergence, greater genetic diversity within African populations, and studies of DNA from the Y chromosome

What characterized the first stage of cultural evolution?

Nomadic hunter-gatherer societies in Africa

What characterized the second stage of cultural evolution?

The development of agriculture and permanent settlements

What characterized the third stage of cultural evolution?

The Industrial Revolution