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100
Australopithicus
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Period: 100 to
Australopithecus
Australopithecus were still human-like but they were dominantly ape-like. They walked upright but still lived in the trees. They had human-like legs but their arms were longer. Australopithecus were most likely prey, and not the predator in that time period. They lived exclusively in Africa and remained there for the entirity of their existence. Their diet consisted mainly of fruit and they had larger teeth that they could use to break nuts. They were hunter-gatherers and therefore nomads. -
Jan 1, 1000
Homo erectus
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Period: Jan 1, 1000 to
Homo erectus
Homo erectus means "upright man". They began to have more complex brain function, like that of humans today. They also began moving out of africa. They began populating areas of Europe, Asia and Indonesia. They were the first hominids to use fire. They used language and could communicate better. They had sophisticated tools and began hunting larger animals. Their arms and legs became shorter. They began to be exclusively ground dwellers and meat became a much larger part of their diet. -
Homo sapiens
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Period: to
Homo sapiens/Cro-magnon
Homo sapiens emerged 150,000 years ago and were recognized quickly as the superior race. They developed an advanced language and they had excelent hunting techniques. They lived in a variety of different environments. They have changed very little in the 150,000 years since and are very similar to the humans of today. -
Neanderthals
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Period: to
Neanderthals
Neanderthals were the first hominids to live in colder environments. They built shelters that protected them from the wind and cold. They also used fire and tools to help them. They were more religious than previous hominds. They buried their dead with memorials. The Neanderthals went extinct around 35,000 years ago and scientists don't know why. Neanderthals were more human-like in their anatomy except for their inability of speech. -
Homo Habilis
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Period: to Jan 1, 1400
Homo habilis
Homo habilis means "man of skill". These hominids were the first to create tools for their use. They were still gatherers but their brain function had improved. They also remained in africa for the entirity of their existence. There is limited evidence showing that they began devoloping a language. They had longer arms and legs than the australopithecus but they still walked upright. They also began adding meat to their diet. They did not hunt yet but just ate what they could find.
