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On a blank sheet of paper, quickly chart your family
tree

Begin with the names of your mother and father’s
parents, your grandparents, and work down to you).
Off from each of their names, jot a few
characteristics of these people.

Below your name, list characteristics you share with
them. Here’s my example:
Dr. East, 9/5/2013
Pre-history is that history that predates the written word.
 most of our history was part of the
Paleolithic age (literally “old age of
stone”, 2.5 million years ago (mya)
to 8,000 B.C.

 during this time human like
creatures evolved from some sort of
ancestor that predated us and
chimpanzees
 Hominids were various kinds of
human ancestors that walked
upright.
▪ invented tools,
▪ learned how to make fire, and
▪ developed oral languages and
spiritual beliefs

Occurred between 100,000 – 400,000 years
ago
1.
2.
3.
4.
By what methods do people understand
what happened in pre-historic times (i.e.,
the time before the written word)?
How do we as humans (homo sapiens)
compare to other types of hominid
relatives?
How did physical geography influence the
lives of early humans?
What were the characteristics of huntergatherer societies?
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Anthropologist = scientist
that that studies
anthropology
Anthropology = the
scientific study of the origin,
the behavior, and the
physical, social, and cultural
development of humans
(can be paleoanthropology
or modern anthropology)
“Paleo” simply means old
What is “culture”?

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Archaeologist = scientist and historian that studies archaeology
Archaeology = is the study of human activity in the past, is often
described as sub-discipline of anthropology
 excavation (digging of sites),
 examining artifacts, architecture, bones, and whatever other material
evidence is left over that may provide clues to past cultures
 What are some examples of artifacts?
Not specifically the study of bones, but scientists will study bones
in addition to other things like pottery or tools, etc.
 radiometric dating can be used study materials left at excavation
sites, ex. carbon can be radiometrically dated
 Carbon Dating Explained by Instant Egghead (You tube)
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Paleontologist = scientist that studies
paleontology
Paleontology = the scientific study of prehistoric or ancient life
often people look for fossils of ancient
animals… these are the bone scientists
focus is on animals, plants, and geological
surroundings NOT people
For both archaeologists and paleontologists,
work done outside and in laboratory

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Geneticist = is a
biologist who studies
genetics
Genetics = the science
of genes, heredity,
and variation in
humans and other
organisms.
They try to examine
DNA
 What would a
paleogeneticist do?
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Ardipethecus Ramidus, oldest most complete
skeleton of a hominid
Scientists have found other bits and pieces
that are older but this is the most complete
Video is from 2009 narrated by Mike Rowe
(from reality show Dirty Jobs, video on
Discovery Education)
Segment from beginning thru. 23 min. in and
then section about what did Ardi looked like.