Biological Evolution
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

LEARNING COMPETENCIES:
 Trace the biological evolution of early to modern humans
 Explore the significance of human material remains and
artefactual evidence in interpreting cultural and social,
including political and economic processes

WHAT IS EVOLUTION?
 Refers to the change in the characteristics of a species
over several generations and relies on the process of
natural selection.
 All species are related and gradually change over time.

PROPONENTS OF THE THEORY OF
EVOLUTION:
 George-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
 Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
 William Charles Wells
 Charles Darwin

1. Dryopithecus
 Lived in the European continent during from an estimate
of 13 until 11 million years ago
 Has a set of molar teeth that are similar to apes and
modern humans
 Predominantly frugivore or fruit-eaters

2. Australopithecus
 Lived in the African continent during 4.2 million until 1.9
million years ago
 Brain size is 35% in comparison of that to the human
brain
 Stands around 3 feet
 Bipedalism (can walk in two legs)

3. Homo Habilis
 “Handy Man”
 Lived around 2.5 million to 1 million year ago
 Stands at most 4 feet 3 inches
 Became the first hominid species to use tools
 Hunter-gatherer society

4. Homo Rudolfensis
 Lived around 2.8 million to 1.4 million year ago
 Closely related and co-existed with the homo habilis in
the African continent

5. Homo Erectus
 “Erect Man”
 Lived around 2 million years ago until 10,000 years ago
 Possesses modern human-like locomotive ability
 Lives in groups of 20 individuals
 Socio-economical divisions for genders
 First hominid species that uses fire for cooking,
protection and heat generation

6. Homo Neanderthalensis
 Also called as the “Neanderthals”
 Lived until 40,000 years ago in the Eurasian continent
 Known for crafting and weaving simple clothes
 Became the first hominid species to collect unique-
shaped objects to be used as a pendant
 Known also for burying their dead relatives

7. Homo Sapiens
 Also called as the “Modern Humans”
 Lived from 500,000 years ago until the present
 The scientific name was introduced by Carl Von
Linnaeus
 Has a smaller, differently shaped teeth
 Developed language, art and religion