World History: Early Human Migration
Presented by Cara from the Credit Recovery Network
Learning Objective
- Investigate how different environments influence human migration and how early humans adjusted to their surroundings on their journeys.
Key Vocabulary
- Evolution: Gradual development and change of a species over time.
- Ancestry: Family or ethnic descent; in this context, ancient family lineage.
- Diversification: Change or adaptation by becoming more diverse and varied.
- Domestication: Taming plants or animals for human use.
- Land bridge: A connection of land between two continents or islands that facilitates migration.
Migration from Africa to Eurasia
- Timeline: Began around 70,000 years ago.
- Reasons for Migration:
- Population growth.
- Climate change.
- Search for new resources.
- Facilitators of Migration:
- Land bridges during periods of low sea levels.
Human Adaptation to New Environments
- Climate Variations: Encountered arid deserts, temperate forests, icy climates.
- Physical Adaptations:
- Increased body size, shorter limbs.
- Ability to regulate body temperature.
- Cultural Adaptations:
- Development of tools like spears.
- Community-based hunting strategies.
Transition to Agriculture
- Timeline: Around 10,000 BCE.
- Process:
- Domestication of plants and animals.
- Establishment of settled communities.
- Impact:
- Larger, non-nomadic populations.
- Development of new technologies (pottery, weaving).
Migration to the Americas
- Pathways:
- Across a land bridge called Beringia (Bering Strait).
- Connected Russia to Alaska.
- Timeline: Between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago (possibly earlier).
- Adaptation to New Environments:
- Encountered glaciers, grasslands, forests, deserts.
- Relied on large game hunting (mammoths, bison, mastodons) and gathering wild plants.
- Reasons for Movement:
- Overpopulation and fight for resources in Eurasian settlements.
Conclusion
- Early humans spread from Africa and adapted to diverse environments across the globe through new hunting techniques and agricultural settlements.
- Their physical, cultural, and technological adaptations allowed for thriving in different regions.
Next Steps:
- Work on reading materials to delve deeper.
- Write a paragraph to show understanding of the topic.