Why Do We Study Hyman Origins?

Why do we Study Human Origins?
By Susman Randall
Calliope: Exploring World History

Many people around the world wonder how did humanity evolve, and from which origins?
Before the advanced science such as archeology and anthropology. People depended only on religious teachings as the only source of explanation of human origins. In every culture there were different myths and legends about human origins. The major breakthrough, which changed the traditional interpretations, happened when British scientist Charles Darwin, who worked in the mid-1800s, has suggested that humans had evolved from same ancestors as the apes had. This caused an outrage and scandal, the church was protesting, people were shocked, but Charles Darwin backed up his theory with his scientific research. He collected the numerous valuable data during his voyages around the world where he found out that animals adapted to their environment, so he did not give up and he called his theory the theory of evolution, although the creationists (those who claimed that God created earth and every living creature in six days) were strongly against his theory.
Today we know that Charles Darwin was right because a geologist Raymond Dart excavated the first hominid fossils in 1925. These fossils were a clear proof that we evolved from hominids. Later on many fossils have been found throughout the planet, which only adds more and more evidence to theory of evolution. There are still many different speculations about how our ancestors evolved, but scientist mainly think that hominids becoming bipedal was the key event in our evolution, and has probably happened because of the climate change in Africa around five million years ago. Before that our ancestors were probably tree dwellers similar to today’s apes. One of the proofs of evolution is that even today we share more than 95 percents of genes with pygmy chimpanzee.
Although many valuable fossils of hominids and early humans were found, scientist still hope to find many more, which will shed even more light on our past.
Susman, Randall. "Why We Study Human Origins." Calliope: Exploring World History Sept. 1999: 4-5. Print.

Three Theories About the Stonehenge

In Salzbar Plains, in Wales UK, stands one of the most popular monuments in the world which is the great Stonehenge. Stonehenge dates even before ancient Egypt, The big rocks in the Stonehenge are called the Sursans which weight about 45 tons. People until today don't know the right theory about the use of Stonehenge. There are lots and lots of theories but only three of them come to a purpose. The most popular theory is that Stonehenge was a Astronomical observatory used to to mark midsummer, but research shows that Stonehenge wasn't only visited over the summer it was also visited over the winter when the sun sets between the largest of the central arches. Another theory is that Stonehenge was used as a cemetery where important people were buried, generally Stonehenge was a place for the dead, while Wood-henge was a place for the living. Both of these monuments have channels which connect to the river Avon.And the third theory is that Stonehenge was a landing place for the UFO. I am quite sure that the third theory is false but who knows. Stone henge is also one of the biggest worlds mysteries.

Fossils from Two Millions Years Ago.

Scientist have found two million year old bones and possibly skin of early human ancestors which are Australopithecus Sediba. The ancient fossils were discovered in Malapa a part of South Africa in 2008. Science is getting deeper in the studies of how we humans have evolved of a specie of Australopithecus. According to the science research scientist say that this specie has made tools and used the tools those ones that they have made. research shows that the Australopithecus Sediba possessed very unusual characteristics of primitive and derived which is in other words human like traits. For an example the Sediba had ankles and was standing up right as well as humans but it had thin apelike heels. also the Sediba could climb up trees a great deal, and as well stand up right as humans do. However, sediba fossils are about 300,000 years younger than an upper jaw, discovered by anthropologist William Kimbel, which is possibly that it belonged to a another specie that came after the Australopithecus, which was called Homo Habilis. This specie has been considered as the first human kind.

Huge Gladiator School Found Buried in Austria

With radar equipment that penetrates the earth to produce 3-dimensional images of buried objects archeologists discovered a gladiator school at the site near Danube river close to Vienna, Austria. This finding is an addition to evidence historians already had about Roman Empire's gladiator schools. The finding is a proof of how the cultures of empire's urban centers were all linked together because the found in Vienna is very similar to the finds from the Rome and other cities of the Roman empire. The gladiator school, called Carnuntum gladiator school. covers 19.000 square meters and was probably built around A.D. 150, during emperor Marcus Aurelius. It consists of central courtyard, tiny dormitory rooms, large room with heated floor, and the training complex with mini amphitheater(probably for the slave traders to watch gladiators, who usually were slaves, in order to check their fighting abilities), walled field (probably for housing wild animals). Even though the school hasn't been excavated archeologists are sure that the find id indeed a gladiator school because it resembles other uncovered gladiator schools of Roman empire.

How Do Historians Study the Past

Historians are people who study history which is a science about the past. Historians use two types of sources which are primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are scripts or articles which were written in that very time when the historical event has been happening which the article tells about. Secondary sources are as well scripts document now a day’s CD's, ads, and blogs. These two categories have to more categorize which are written and non-written sources. When we say written sources, most of us will think just only of books but there is much more then books like: speeches, posters, newspaper articles, government papers, songs, poems, etc. What falls under the non-written sources? Good question. Under non-written sources fall such as: tombs, graveyards churches, archeological places, temples, etc. Anyway, historians will always ask 5 very important questions which will evaluate the sources, the 3 main types of evaluation are: is the source accurate, is the source valid and is the source reliable. These are the 3 most important evaluations of a historical source. As I have said historians will always question the five very important questions in order to evaluate the source: who was the writer? What kind of source is it? Where was the source produced? When was the source produces? Why was the source produced? These are the five main questions which a historian will always ask order to evaluate the source by the three categorize of evaluation.

When and Why did People Settle in Certain Areas?

In the past people have been settling in places where there was good climate and good topographic conditions. In the early history there were no countries, therefore people were free to move everywhere. People in the past were mostly living of farming and planting crops, so they choose a land with good, fertile soil and fresh green grass for sheep, cows, and other farming animals to graze. Good soil was also needed in order to grow crop plants such as wheat, sunflower, barley, corn etc. Since the soil is the most fertile in the flatland and plains, people mostly tended to settle in these type of areas. The people in mountains and high lands usually made terraces or cascades for planting.
I have learned that there are 3 categories of movement. Which are: temporary(for example: you go from home to school every day so you are daily having this kind of movement). The second kind is periodic movement, when you move to a new place but you stay only for a shorter period of time(for example: you go to the sea side for the whole summer holiday but afterwards you come back to your home). The third movement is called migration; this type of movement is migrating or moving from your home land to a new area where you will stay to live,(for example, people of northern India moved to Europe thousands years ago to find better life for themselves). People even today migrate, but mostly because of religious or political reasons. And in the future who knows? We might migrate to the Moon.

What is History and Why do we Study it?

History is a type of science which is based on the past and studying it. History is based on the major important events/people/ideas through out it. History can change evidence or interpretations or theories. My opinion is that, for me history is interesting, especially because we get to learn something about how did we evolve, our humanity. History is also there for us so we can learn from the past in other words not to repeat the same mistakes, but this is not very true we all make same mistakes. We also study history to learn more about our selves,culture,identifying accestors, where we came from. Also we study history so we understand other culture, people and that there is less conflict and more peace in the world. Also to have more open mindness and more tolerance.