1.1 The first humans

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• Leerjaar 1

1. The Age of Hunters and Farmers

1.1 The first humans

Rules

1. Phones go in the phone bag (nummering op basis van klassenlijst)
2. Raise your hand if you have a question.
3. When others speak, we listen (don't interrupt others).
4. Bring all the necessities too class (device, notebook, etc.) and the homework is done

What is this lesson about?

Some people believe that a god or gods created the first humans. Scientists say that it took millions of years before people evolved into what we are now. 

Archeologists and paleontologists have found bones of the first humans in Africa. 

Modern humans are called Homo Sapiens and they didn’t stay in Africa. Instead, they spread all over the world.

Which Age are we studying in this Unit?

Word Duty

1.1 First humans

Fossils: remains of plants or animals that are preserved in stone

Scientist: someone who studies a science, for instance history, physics or biology

Creation narrative: a story that says God created man and the rest of the world

Theory of evolution: theory written by Charles Darwin to explain the way species change

Excavation: process by which you uncover something through digging away the earth that covers it

Paleontologist: someone who studies ancient life on the planet

Archeologist: someone who digs up remains to investigate human activity in the past

Tool: an object held in one hand to accomplish a task (for example: an axe)

Out of Africa theory: theory that modern man evolved in Africa and then migrated to 

other areas in the world

KEY WORDS

Where do humans come from?

For thousands of years, people answered this question by explaining that a god or a number of gods created humans. A well-known example of this is the story of Adam and Eve. These first man and woman were made by God and lived in paradise until they ate from the forbidden tree. A story like this is an example of a creation narrative.

But scientists have another explanation about the origin of humans. They studied the bones of Lucy and learned that the first humans lived in Africa and that they looked completely different from how we look today. Still, these scientists say that they were our ancestors because they walked on two legs. So they must have changed if they had become like us. How is that possible?

Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden by Wenzel Peter, 19th century, Vatican Museum

Theory of evolution

This was also the most important question that the biologist Charles Darwin asked himself around 1850. On his travels he discovered that species change over time. They adapt themselves to their environment in order to survive. A polar bear is white because it lives in the snow and a giraffe has a long neck to eat leaves on high trees. This process of adaption can take millions of years.

Darwin’s idea is called the theory of evolution. He also wrote that humans and apes have the same ancestors. It took three million years for these first humans to change into the people that we are today. In the family tree below you can see the different human-like ancestors that used to be alive.

Charles Darwin, 1809 - 1882

This is the human family tree, with the different species of early humans.

The Latin word Homo means ‘man’. When we talk about humans we use this word. For example: Homo habilis was ‘the tool using man’ and Homo erectus ‘the upright man’. We modern humans are Homo sapiens sapiens which means ‘very wise man’.

Archeology and Paleontology

• Fossils and bones > sources
• archeologists and paleontologist work together at excavations 
• Lucy

Read the text "Out of Africa"

Describe the Out of Africa theory in your own words.

Can you put the ten Ages in the correct order?

Jagers en Boeren

Regenten en Vorsten

Grieken en Romeinen

Monniken en Ridders

Steden en Staten

Ontdekkers en Hervormers

Pruiken en Revoluties

Burgers en Stoommachines

Wereldoorlogen

Televisie en Computers

In the next task you need to drag the 

Dutch names to the top boxes and the 

English names to the bottom boxes.

De Tijd van:

The Age of:

Ken je de namen van de eerste vier tijdvakken....

ook in het Engels?

Monniken &

Staten

Steden &

Romeinen

Jagers &

Ridders 

Grieken &

Boeren 

Greeks &

Farmers

Hunters &

Knights

Cities &

States

Monks &

Romans