STRAND 1 PEOPLE AND POPULATION.
1.1 Scientific theory about human origin.
The scientific theory about human origin is also called the evolution theory.
It was developed by Charles Darwin.
The theory argues that all living organism underwent processes of change over millions of
years by evolving from simple forms to complex forms.
This happened through the processes of:
Mutation -human organisms went through changes in their genes and the behaviour of their
bodies.
Natural selection -after mutation only the fittest or strongest organisms survived.
Adaptation -after surviving mutation and natural selection, the organisms adapted to their
new environment
Stages of Human evolution.
The following are stages of human evolution.
Aegyptopithecus.
Was the earliest ancestor of both human beings and apes.
Was discovered in Egypt.
Moved on four limbs.
Had a tail.
Dryopithecus.
Had a flat skull and larger canines.
Was discovered in Rusinga Island.
Moved on four limbs.
Had a pointed face.
Kenyapithecus or Ramapithecus.
Had larger teeth and jawbone.
Was discovered in Fort Tenan.
Moved on two legs.
Had a larger brain capacity.
Australopithecus.
Had a loping forehead, projecting face and big eyebrows.
Fossils were discovered in Ethiopia and Kenya.
Walked upright and had a larger brain capacity than Kenyapithecus.
,Homo habilis (Handy man.)
Was human-like but with longer arms.
They lived in families.
Had a brain capacity larger than that of Australopithecus.
Was discovered in Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.
Homo erectus
Was upright man.
Was clever with brain capacity of 850cm3 which was larger than of Homo habilis.
Discovered fire and made advanced tools.
Homo sapiens.
They were more intelligent than the Homo erectus.
Had a brain capacity of 1000-1800cm3.
Had straight legs and walked with long strides.
Back of the skull was rounded with square eye socket.
Homo sapiens sapiens.
Was the last stage of human evolution.
Is the most advanced creature to appear on earth
Importance of Fossil Records.
Fossils refer to the preserved remains of plants and animals that are found beneath the
surface of the earth.
Fossil records help to understand how human beings evolved, lived, adapted and changed
their physical appearance in the past.
, Fossil records have the following importance:
Provide past evidence on how plants and animals adapted to their environment.
Helps to establish evolutionary relationship between organisms and their ancestors.
Fossil records help to establish the time period in which organisms lived.
Fossil records help archeologists and other natural scientists to place important events and
species in the appropriate historical and geographical era.
Fossil records of humans help us to understand the social, political and economic life of man
over years.
They give us information on the culture of humans, clothing, food, and beliefs in the past.
Fossil records give us information on the economic activities of man such as the animals
they hunted, crops they cultivated, fishing among others.
Fossil records give us information on the type and uses of tools and other materials used by
humans in farming, hunting, war or religious activities over the years.
They provide evidence of Africa being the cradle of humanity.
Locations of human remains discovered in Africa.
Prehistoric sites are places where man’s remains which are evident of his past existence were
found.
The oldest known human remains in Africa were discovered in Ethiopia, dating back to around
200,000 years ago.
The following are a few examples of where and when pre-historic human remains have been
discovered in Africa.
Human remain Location discovered Time discovered
Australopithecus Taung in Botswana 1924
Olduvai gorge in Tanzania. 1959
Omo valley in Ethiopia. 1974
Homo habilis Olduvai gorge in Tanzania. 1964
Kobi fora. 1969
Olorgesaile near Lake Magadi in Kenya
Homo erectus Shores of lake Turkana in Kenya. 1984
Hadar in Ethiopia.
Morocco.
South Africa.
Algeria.
Nariokotone River (Kenya)
, Somo sapiens Eliye springs 9kenya) near Lake Turkana.
Omo river in Ethiopia.
Ngaloba in Tanzania
Other places are:
Fort Ternan (Kenya) where Ramapithecus or Kenyapithecus were found.
Changes that took places in humans as a result of evolution.
Evolution of human beings has been a continuous process resulting from various changes
and adaptations.
These changes are characterized in their teeth, arms, body shape, brain size, structure of their
legs and shape of their head.
These changes were important for them to adapt to new environmental conditions for
survival.
Human beings evolved to walk on two legs, freeing their hands for tool use and enhancing
mobility.
Overtime, the human brain had grown, leading to advanced cognitive abilities.
They developed the ability to make and use tools.
Humans developed language, enabling communication.
Evolution influenced teeth, adapting them to a diverse diet including plants and animals.
Humans evolved complex social structures, forming family units and communities.
Humans have had reduced hair on the bodies.
1.2 Early civilization.
Places of origin of early visitors to the East Africa coast.
East Africa was visited by visitors from Europe and Asia.
They included the following:
Arabs
Portuguese.
Indian.
Persians.
Chinese.
Greek.
Egyptians.
Phoenicians.
Romans.
Syrians.
1.1 Scientific theory about human origin.
The scientific theory about human origin is also called the evolution theory.
It was developed by Charles Darwin.
The theory argues that all living organism underwent processes of change over millions of
years by evolving from simple forms to complex forms.
This happened through the processes of:
Mutation -human organisms went through changes in their genes and the behaviour of their
bodies.
Natural selection -after mutation only the fittest or strongest organisms survived.
Adaptation -after surviving mutation and natural selection, the organisms adapted to their
new environment
Stages of Human evolution.
The following are stages of human evolution.
Aegyptopithecus.
Was the earliest ancestor of both human beings and apes.
Was discovered in Egypt.
Moved on four limbs.
Had a tail.
Dryopithecus.
Had a flat skull and larger canines.
Was discovered in Rusinga Island.
Moved on four limbs.
Had a pointed face.
Kenyapithecus or Ramapithecus.
Had larger teeth and jawbone.
Was discovered in Fort Tenan.
Moved on two legs.
Had a larger brain capacity.
Australopithecus.
Had a loping forehead, projecting face and big eyebrows.
Fossils were discovered in Ethiopia and Kenya.
Walked upright and had a larger brain capacity than Kenyapithecus.
,Homo habilis (Handy man.)
Was human-like but with longer arms.
They lived in families.
Had a brain capacity larger than that of Australopithecus.
Was discovered in Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.
Homo erectus
Was upright man.
Was clever with brain capacity of 850cm3 which was larger than of Homo habilis.
Discovered fire and made advanced tools.
Homo sapiens.
They were more intelligent than the Homo erectus.
Had a brain capacity of 1000-1800cm3.
Had straight legs and walked with long strides.
Back of the skull was rounded with square eye socket.
Homo sapiens sapiens.
Was the last stage of human evolution.
Is the most advanced creature to appear on earth
Importance of Fossil Records.
Fossils refer to the preserved remains of plants and animals that are found beneath the
surface of the earth.
Fossil records help to understand how human beings evolved, lived, adapted and changed
their physical appearance in the past.
, Fossil records have the following importance:
Provide past evidence on how plants and animals adapted to their environment.
Helps to establish evolutionary relationship between organisms and their ancestors.
Fossil records help to establish the time period in which organisms lived.
Fossil records help archeologists and other natural scientists to place important events and
species in the appropriate historical and geographical era.
Fossil records of humans help us to understand the social, political and economic life of man
over years.
They give us information on the culture of humans, clothing, food, and beliefs in the past.
Fossil records give us information on the economic activities of man such as the animals
they hunted, crops they cultivated, fishing among others.
Fossil records give us information on the type and uses of tools and other materials used by
humans in farming, hunting, war or religious activities over the years.
They provide evidence of Africa being the cradle of humanity.
Locations of human remains discovered in Africa.
Prehistoric sites are places where man’s remains which are evident of his past existence were
found.
The oldest known human remains in Africa were discovered in Ethiopia, dating back to around
200,000 years ago.
The following are a few examples of where and when pre-historic human remains have been
discovered in Africa.
Human remain Location discovered Time discovered
Australopithecus Taung in Botswana 1924
Olduvai gorge in Tanzania. 1959
Omo valley in Ethiopia. 1974
Homo habilis Olduvai gorge in Tanzania. 1964
Kobi fora. 1969
Olorgesaile near Lake Magadi in Kenya
Homo erectus Shores of lake Turkana in Kenya. 1984
Hadar in Ethiopia.
Morocco.
South Africa.
Algeria.
Nariokotone River (Kenya)
, Somo sapiens Eliye springs 9kenya) near Lake Turkana.
Omo river in Ethiopia.
Ngaloba in Tanzania
Other places are:
Fort Ternan (Kenya) where Ramapithecus or Kenyapithecus were found.
Changes that took places in humans as a result of evolution.
Evolution of human beings has been a continuous process resulting from various changes
and adaptations.
These changes are characterized in their teeth, arms, body shape, brain size, structure of their
legs and shape of their head.
These changes were important for them to adapt to new environmental conditions for
survival.
Human beings evolved to walk on two legs, freeing their hands for tool use and enhancing
mobility.
Overtime, the human brain had grown, leading to advanced cognitive abilities.
They developed the ability to make and use tools.
Humans developed language, enabling communication.
Evolution influenced teeth, adapting them to a diverse diet including plants and animals.
Humans evolved complex social structures, forming family units and communities.
Humans have had reduced hair on the bodies.
1.2 Early civilization.
Places of origin of early visitors to the East Africa coast.
East Africa was visited by visitors from Europe and Asia.
They included the following:
Arabs
Portuguese.
Indian.
Persians.
Chinese.
Greek.
Egyptians.
Phoenicians.
Romans.
Syrians.
