Answer Key: Chapter 01. The Evolution of Human Beings
Part 1: Factual Recall (What Do You Know?)
a. Multiple Choice
c) In caves or on treetops b. True/False
F (False) - The chapter's "Reflect" box explains that dinosaurs became extinct about 65 million years ago, long before human beings appeared. T (True) - The chapter states, "...they could not speak, and only growled." F (False) - The chapter clearly states that early hominids "...could not stand upright." T (True) - The "Sources of Information" section explains that archaeologists study these exact things to learn about the past. c. Fill-in-the-Blank
The present species of humans, like us, are called Homo sapiens. Early humans who moved from place to place hunting animals and gathering fruits and roots were known as hunter-gatherers. d. Matching
Artefact -> An object made by humans, like pottery or a tool. Hominid -> An early, ape-like human with a sloped head and long arms. Hunter-gatherer -> A person who moves to find food instead of staying in one place. Fossil -> The remains of living things left on rocks. e. Short Answer
Early hunter-gatherers used animal skins and leaves to cover their bodies. Their hands (or opposable thumbs) developed, which gave them the ability to hold objects. Three sources of information are: caves/rock shelters, tools/artefacts, and fossils/bones. (Any three from the list in the chapter are correct). f. Paragraph Answer
Using details from the chapter, describe what early hominids looked like and how they behaved. Early hominids were ape-like humans who lived two million years ago. Their heads were big and sloped backwards, and they had small foreheads with thick eyebrows. Their arms were very long, reaching down to their knees, and they could not stand fully upright. Their bodies were covered with thick hair, and since they could not speak, they communicated by growling. Explain how we get our information about early humans. Who studies this information, and what kinds of things do they look at? We get information about early humans from several sources they left behind. People called archaeologists study these remains to learn about the lifestyle of early humans. They study the caves and rock shelters where people lived and examine things like pottery, tools, and other artefacts. They also study fossils and the bones of both early humans and the animals from that time period. Part 2: Critical Thinking (Let's Think Deeper!)
a. Analysis
The cave painting shows an animal, which tells us that animals were very important to the person who painted it. They were probably important as a source of food (from hunting), or maybe they were dangerous animals that people needed to be aware of.
b. Comparison
Difference: Hominids could not stand up straight and had long arms that reached their knees, while Homo sapiens can stand fully upright. Advantage: An advantage humans gained was developing larger brains, which gave them the ability to think, solve problems, and make tools. c. Cause and Effect
The effect of learning to stand erect was that their hands were free. With their hands free, they could make tools, pick up and carry things, and throw objects to hunt or defend themselves.
d. Problem-Solving
My group would have to move to a new place. Since hunter-gatherers moved to find food, the best choice would be to follow the animals to the warmer place or find a new area with different food sources, like a forest with edible roots or a river with fish.
Part 3: Map Skills (Where in the World?)
a. Location
(The student should have circled the continent of Africa on a map).
Africa is important because the chapter states that the earliest remains of human beings have been found there.
b. Interpretation
It would be best for hunter-gatherers to live along a river. A river provides three important things they need to survive: fresh water to drink, fish to eat, and it would also attract other animals that they could hunt for food.
Part 4: Historical Themes and Concepts (The Big Picture)
a. Timeline
The correct order is:
Australopithecus afarensis b. Change and Continuity
Change: A major physical change was that humans learned to stand upright instead of being hunched over like early hominids. Continuity: A basic need that has stayed the same is the need for food and water to survive. (Shelter is also a good answer). c. Perspectives
(Answers will vary, but should sound like a diary entry).
Example: "Diary Entry: I can't believe it! I found a sharpened piece of flint deep in the cave today. It fits perfectly in my hand. The person who made this must have been intelligent and resourceful. I think they used it for scraping animal skins or cutting meat. This one little tool tells me so much about how they lived!"
d. Influence
Pottery still influences us today because we use ceramic objects all the time. For example, we use ceramic plates, bowls, and mugs for eating and drinking. We also use pottery for decoration, like vases for flowers or decorative pots.
Answer Key