What was Alfred Wegener’s hypothesis?
What did Wegener
propose to be true in his
1915 book titled, The
Origin of Continents and
Oceans?
Pangaea = Super Continent
 Theorized that all of the
continents were together
as one large landmass,
300 million years ago.
 Over time, the
continents split into
separate pieces and
shifted around the
world.
Pangaea – Splitting Apart
Pangaea – Splitting Apart
Pangaea – Splitting Apart
Pangaea – Splitting Apart
The Continental Drift Theory was not an original idea. Abraham
Ortelius first announced his theory in 1596. What set Alfred
Wegener apart from his predecessors and stirried up the
scientific community?
Wegener had evidence to support his
theory
1) Coastlines and Landforms
 The continents fit
together like a puzzle
and landforms like
mountain chains also
join together when the
pieces are matched up.
1) Coastlines and Landforms
 Notice the mountain
chains in purple
1) Coastlines and Landforms
 When the continents are
reassembled, the
mountain chains form a
continuous belt, thus
having the same rock
types, structures and
rock ages.
1) Coastlines and Landforms
 Here is a better look at
the landform features
(mountains)
2) Climate
 Coal that is formed in warm
swampy areas was found in
Antarctica.
 Signs of glacial scarring
found in rocks of mild
climates.
 Tropical plant fossils found
on island in the Arctic
Ocean.
 Glacial features of the same
age found in areas that would
match up if landmass pieced
together
3) Fossils – Mesosaurus
3) Fossils – All 4 in one map
 Cynognathus -
land reptile
 Lystrosaurus – land
reptile
 Mesosaurus –
freshwater reptile
 Glossopteris - fern
Problem!
 Wegener couldn’t explain
HOW the continents
moved and the theory
was shelved for several
years.
Task #1
 Use the first letter of the
four fossils mentioned
earlier (C, M, L, G) to
create a cast or mold of
an imaginary Pangaea
fossil.
Preparing for Task #2
Synthesize – Take two
different things and
explain relationships
between the two
 Example #1: Gum and
the weathering of rocks
 Example #2: Newspaper
and soil composition
Task #2
 Using what you know
about the human body
and the Continental
Drift Theory, synthesize
the two to make
connections between
their relationship.