Looking Back at Human Biocultural and Social Evolution Biological and Cultural Evolution Biological and Cultural Evolution • biological evolution of man refers to the long evolutionary history of the human species from primates to its current form, the Homo sapiens • Evolution is the process of developing physical and biological change in a species over a period of time. It is not an overnight phenomenon. It took millions of years to end up with the specific set of biological traits that humanity presently has. The Transition From Early to Modern Humans Homo Habilis (2.5 to 1.4 million years ago) Homo Habilis (2.5 to 1.4 million years ago) • It developed bipedalism or the ability to walk upright • Its brain size was estimated to be 35% larger than the Australopithecus africanus’. • It had similar teeth compared to Australopithecines, the close relative species of humans. • Its diet included a variety of plants and meat Homo Erectus (1.9 million years ago) Homo Erectus (1.9 million years ago) • The hand axes, one of the major innovations in same tool era, was said to be made by the Homo erectus • They lived more on the ground and lost treeclimbing adaptations. • Some paleoanthropologists use the term Homo ergaster (“working man”) for members of this group found outside of Asia. A famous example of a Homo erectus is the Peking man found in China Homo Sapiens (400,000 thousand years ago to present) Homo Sapiens (400,000 thousand years ago to present) • It had very large brains and an average brain capacity of 82 cubic inches • It was characterized by high vertical forehead, small teeth and jaw and defined chin • It had a lighter skeletal built compared to earlier humans. • It constructed and used tools for survival • It developed a symbolic communication system Artifactual Evidences Artifactual Evidences • Artifactual evidences are the only source of knowledge in understanding the lifestyle and the developments that occurred in each transitional stage of human evolution. • It can also include tools that are used for hunting and gathering or symbolic writing found in caves. • Early human species were discovered through fossils which are remains preserved in rock. Cultural Evolution of Man Cultural Evolution • Explains the changes in the beliefs, knowledge, customs, skills, attitudes, and languages of humans over time. It proposes that as humans transform themselves, their culture becomes progressively complex due to social, environmental, and biological factors. Cultural Evolution • The cultural evolution of early humans can be traced back to the beginning of the Stone Age when they started creating and using tools made out of stones. This is the earliest known period of human culture which started roughly 2-3 million years ago and ended around 6000 and 3000 BCE. This period is also known as the prehistoric period because writing was not yet invented during this time. Stone Age / Prehistoric Period Old Stone Age (Paleolithic) Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic) New Stone Age (Neolithic) Paleolithic Period Paleolithic Period • the first phase of the Stone Age. • This period started the creation and use of crude stone tools which are the most primitive among the three periods. • The word "paleolithic" is derived from the Greek words palaios (old) and lithos (stone) to collectively mean "old stone age." Paleolithic Period • The early humans who existed during this period showed their skills with fire and stones that changed their diet and food consumption. • Hunting and fishing were the primary activities of the early humans during the Paleolithic period. • They also had their religious rituals based on nature and developed their own language based on sounds and hand signals. Mesolithic Period • is the second phase of the Stone Age. • It was considered as the transition period between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods. • The word "mesolithic" is derived from the Greek words mesos (middle) and lithos (stone) that collectively mean "middle stone age." Mesolithic Period Mesolithic Period • Early humans during this period gradually domesticated plants and animals. • They also started to form their own settlements and communities. • Hunting, fishing, and food gathering were the primary activities of the early humans. • They also started to use microliths or smaller and more delicate stone tools. Neolithic Period Neolithic Period • The word "neolithic" was derived from the Ancient Greek words neos (new) and lithos (stone) that collective translates to "new stone age.“ • The Neolithic period started during the last phase of the Stone Age and at this point, modern humans started to exist. • From being food gatherers, they became food producers and introduced the concept of farming. Neolithic Period • They also became herders from being hunters during the Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods. • They crafted better stone tools and invented the axe.Pots and jars were evident during this period which served as their food containers and storage. • Modern humans also formed their permanent homes and started to have their own tribes and villages. Sociopolitical Evolution of Man: Democratization Democracy and Democratization • Democratization refers to the spread or expansion of democracy. • Democracy means "rule by the people." The term comes from the Greek words demos, which means "people," and kratos, which means "rule." While democracy is often traced back to the Greeks, particularly the Athenian democracy during 5th century BCE, a form of primitive democracy is said to have existed during the hunting and gathering period in independent tribes. Democracy and Democratization • Democratization refers to the spread or The form of democracy during 500 BCE in city-states is said to be a form of direct democracy where citizens participate directly in decision-making. • On the other hand, the evolved form of democracy−−**representative democracy**−−that became widespread in nation-states is where officials are elected to represent a group of people. Historical Path to a Democratic City State • Agricultural developments in Asia and Africa eventually spread to the nearby civilizations of Greece and Rome. • Both Greeks and Romans adapted to the farming culture developed by the Mesopotamians, even following the latter’s sociopolitical structure of kingship. • Eventually, they were able to engage in trade as their resources highly developed and impacted socioeconomic growth. Historical Path to a Democratic City State • Greece • Societal status and groups began to develop: – the king (bearing the highest position in all Greek city-states), – the aristocracies and noblemen, then – the farmers. Historical Path to a Democratic City State • Wars were already occurring between city-states, and tension grew between social classes. • Greek kings had growing ambitions to transform themselves into wealth-laden rulers just like their predecessors from the Bronze Age. Historical Path to a Democratic City State • The need for power was not feasible as the primarily abundant metal during the period was iron, a relatively cheaper metal compared to bronze. • If the king sought greater power, he would not be able to do so easily since weaponry and machinery, primarily made of iron, were much cheaper, and could be afforded by practically anyone within the city-state. Historical Path to a Democratic City State • In 750 BC, with high tension and alarm over the intentions of the king, the noblemen gathered together and ousted him, leading to a successful establishment of the first republics. The Beginnings of Democratization • The developments in the Greek city-states led to the birth of democracy and the rise of democratization in societies. Oligarchy • Greek Kings were deposed by the noblemen. • City-states began to change the form of leadership into oligarchy where rulers were from aristocratic families. • Because of inexpensive and accessible weaponry and the ongoing wars between city-states, even ordinary people like the farmers learned to arm themselves and rebel against drastic changes. • The oligarchic government ruled in favor of the noblemen and aristocracies, so ordinary people also used their collective power against an abusive government. Tyranny • Since there were few noble people in government, city-states, in effect, were ruled by a tyrant, a positive term for a Greek leader that means “boss.” • Tyrants became effective in ensuring fair treatment for both land owners and farmers. • For some time, peace and equality emerged among social classes. • In the second generation of tyrant rule, however, the son of a tyrant made some wrong and abusive decisions that eventually lead to another revolution, ousting the tyrant rule. Birth of Democracy • Because of the tyrant's abuse of power, intelligent leaders of Greek city-states proposed that power must be held by the common people. • This led to the creation of a more broad-based constitution, eventually developing the city-states to have a democratic setting. • In 594 BCE, Solon gave Athens a new constitution. This event was considered as the rise of democracy in Greece. Birth of Democracy • It should be noted, though, that not all Greek citystates followed this ruling, especially the poorer, more backward areas. Still, the political change in Greece soon led Rome to follow a democratic ruling thereafter. • Also, keep in mind that citizen participation in democratic decision-making during this time was limited to males and therefore, did not encompass the total population. Significance and Implications of Democracy • The development of democracy led to changes that greatly impacted the ordinary people by reducing inequality and promoting fair treatment for all. The beginnings of democratization in Greece laid a foundation for modern-day democracy. • Also, the establishment of a democratic government promoted more cultural and artistic implications that eventually distinguished Greek and Roman civilizations from any other ancient civilization. Significance and Implications of Democracy • Below are some artifactual evidences of the artistic and cultural implications of democratization. • Greek literature began its ascent as poet Homer created his epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey. • Stone temples that appeared as early as 600 BC were improved through classical Greek structures upon the rise of democratization.
