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Early Humans

Prehistory

In order to study the way humans lived throughout history and into modern times, you must first understand how the earliest humans lived. The key to understanding the past lies in prehistory, or the time before written language. About two hundred years ago, scientists began studying the origins and development of people and their societies without having the option to examine written records of people, places, and events. In this interactivity, you will explore various ways scientists learn about prehistory. Click the player button to begin.

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Development of Early Humans: Perspective from a Paleontologist

artistic depiction of the Stone Age Take a moment to read the following excerpt from a recollection of American paleontologist Donald Johanson, regarding his findings in Ethiopia with fellow researcher Tom Gray. As you read about the experience, try to determine what the scientists discovered, and how you would feel if you had been the person to make this discovery.

"[Gray] picked it up. It was the back of a small skull. A few feet away was part of a femur: a thighbone...

We stood up, and began to see other bits of bone on the slope: a couple of vertebrae, part of a pelvis - all of the hominid [belonging to the family of two-legged primates, extinct or living, including man].

An unbelievable, impermissible thought flickered through my mind. Suppose all of these fit together? Could they be parts of a single, extremely primitive skeleton? No such skeleton had ever been found - anywhere."

In 1974, Donald Johanson and Tom Gray made an incredible finding: the oldest and first complete adult female skeleton ever found. These scientists named the skeleton "Lucy." Lucy's skeletal remains suggested that she walked upright, and had an opposable thumb that enabled her to more easily make tools and pick up small objects. In addition, Lucy's ancestors were Homo sapiens, the species name for modern humans. Equally as important, scientists were now able to produce the considerable evidence that placed the origin of the earliest humans in the Ethiopian Highlands of East Africa between 100,000 and 400,000 years ago. This image depicts a full replica of Lucy's skeleton, which is located in a museum in Mexico City.

The Paleolithic Era

From Africa, humans migrated to Eurasia (Europe and Asia), Australia, and then the Americas. Recent archaeological finds around the world, especially in such areas as Israel and Alaska, continue to reveal more about early humans and their environment. In this interactivity, you will discover what caused the migration from Africa into other parts of the world. Click the player button to begin.

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Early Humans Review

self-check icon Now that you have learned about the early humans, review your knowledge in this interactivity. Click the player button to get started.