learning objectives 9

Question 1

Which species of ape are most closely related to humans?

Answer 1

orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos

Question 2

Name 3 features that differ between humans and other apes.

Answer 2

• brain size
• walking (bipedal vs. quadrupedal)
• teeth (canine sharpness)

Question 3

When did the divergence of human and chimpanzee lineages occur, and on which continent?

Answer 3

4-6 million years ago, in Africa

Question 4

When did Homo sapiens first appear, and on which continent?

Answer 4

200,000 years ago, in Africa

Question 5

Define “hominin.”

Answer 5

A primate of the taxonomic tribe that includes humans, their ancestors, and closely related species.

Question 6

What is a key point about the diversity of hominins?

Answer 6

Hominins branched into many species, and multiple species coexisted throughout hominin history.

Question 7

Describe brain size evolution in human ancestors.

Answer 7

• Chimps: Small brain size
• Ardipithecus ramidus (“Ardi”): small brian size
• Australopithecus afarensis: Larger brain than Ardi and chimps
• Homo erectus: Larger brain
• Humans: Largest brain size

Question 8

What changes occurred in hominin face structure over time?

Answer 8

• Ardi: Wider face
• Australopithecus afarensis: Less flat, rounder skull
• Homo erectus: Rounder, larger skull
• Humans: Flatter, taller skull

Question 9

Describe the evolution of hominin canine teeth.

Answer 9

• Ardi: Larger molars, less sharp canines
• Australopithecus afarensis: Less sharp canines
• Homo erectus & Humans: Less sharp canines, smaller molars

Question 10

What change in foot shape occurred in early hominins?

Answer 10

Australopithecus afarensis: Feet adapted for bipedal walking, big toe aligned with other toes.

Question 11

Which traits arose first in the human lineage: smaller teeth, big toe alignment, or large brains?

Answer 11

1. Smaller teeth
2. Big toe aligned with other toes
3. Very large brain

Question 12

What was the geographic range of H. neanderthalensis?

Answer 12

Europe and parts of Western and Central Asia. They did not live in Africa.

Question 13

Name some technological achievements of early Homo sapiens.

Answer 13

• Fire use
• Hand axes
• Advanced stone tools
• Art (cave paintings)
• Shelters
• Language
• Musical instruments
• Hunting larger game
• Long-distance trade

Question 14

Explain why human racial groups are not biological categories (essentialist thinking).

Answer 14

Human genetic variation is continuous, with no distinct racial boundaries due to gene flow and migrations throughout history.

Question 15

What role has migration played in human genetic diversity?

Answer 15

Migration has allowed populations to interbreed and share alleles, leading to continuous genetic and phenotypic variation.

Question 16

What is misleading about essentialist thinking in terms of race?

Answer 16

Essentialist thinking creates false categories, but human variation is continuous, with no clear biological differences between racial groups.

Question 17

What is the historical origin of “scientific” racism?

Answer 17

European and American scholars invented racial categories to justify colonialism and slavery.