Anthropology 250 | Human Origins | American University | Spring 2003

Nariokotome

Human Origins

Anthropology 250-001 | American University | Spring 2003

Tue 8:10-10:40pm | Location: BIC 102

Instructor: Josh Snodgrass

phone: (202) 885-1830 (Anthropology Department)

e-mail: j-snodgrass@northwestern.edu

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Class Location & Time:

Tuesday 8:10-10:40 pm in BIC 102

Instructor Office Hours & Location:

Tuesday 3:00-5:00 pm in Ward Coffee Shop

Teaching Assistant:

Laura Shick (e-mail: lowra78@hotmail.com; office hours: 5:30-7:30 pm; office location: TBA)

Announcements:

There will be a review session next week to help you prepare for the final exam. That review session will be held from 3-5 pm on Wednesday (April 30) in BIC 102. Please come prepared with questions.

If you missed the video Neanderthals on Trial, it is available for viewing at the Media Services Center in the library (the video is my personal copy and so is not part of the library system--it is filed under my name and the course title). There are questions from the video, which are listed below. This video will be available beginning on April 18th.

Instructions for the book review assignment are available. Follow this link.

If you missed the video In Search of Human Origins (Part I: The Story of Lucy), it is available for viewing at the Media Services Center in the library (VHS 2471). There are questions from the video, which are listed below.

The midterm exam was returned on March 18th. For information on the exam, including mean, range, and curve, follow this link.

If you missed the video The New Chimpanzees, it is available for viewing at the Media Services Center in the library (the video is my personal copy and so is not part of the library system--it is filed under my name and the course title). There are questions from the video, which are listed below.

Copies of the textbook chapters are available in the course mailbox in the Anthropology Department in Battelle-Tompkins (if you are facing the department office, the mailbox is to the far right and is labeled "Anth 250: Human Origins"). If you borrow these readings, please return them as quickly as possible.

Lecture outlines are available. See link below.

Course Summary

This course provides an overview of the field of physical anthropology in which we explore our evolutionary history. The course begins with an introduction to evolutionary theory, as it is the unifying theme of the natural sciences. This section covers evolutionary forces, human and population genetics, and explores our heritage as mammals and as primates. The second part of the course focuses primarily on interpreting the fossil evidence for human evolution, but also explores issues of modern human variation and diversity.

Text (Required)

Jurmain, R., Kilgore, L., Trevathan, W., and Nelson, H. 2003. Introduction to Physical Anthropology (9th edition), Wadsworth.

There are other editions of this textbook that are available but the 9th edition has been extensively revised and includes material not covered in the earlier editions

Course Requirements

Your grade in the course will reflect performance on two equally weighted exams (a midterm and a final). Both exams will include objective (multiple choice & matching), fill-in-the-blank, short answer, and essay sections. Exams will be based on lectures, readings from the textbook, class discussions, and videos. The final exam will be comprehensive, yet will focus primarily on the material from the second part of the course. Material on the exams may be different than that presented in the textbook, and may only be covered during course lecture and discussion. Therefore, you are advised to arrange to get course notes from the instructor if you miss a class. Make-up exams will only be given with official university excuses (generally medical) and must be approved by the instructor. Attendance and participation will also affect your grade in the course.

Each student will also turn in a 5-6 page paper based on a review and analysis of a recent book on human evolutionary biology. This review should include a short summary of the major themes of the book (roughly 1-2 pages) followed by an analysis and critique of the book (pick a couple of major themes to discuss). This critique should integrate material from class lectures and from the textbook. A list of potential books is available below.

Grading

Midterm Exam -- 30%
Final Exam -- 30%
Book Review -- 30%
Attendance & Participation -- 10%

Important Dates

March 4 -- Midterm Exam
April 22 -- Book Reviews Due
May 6 -- Final Exam

Book Review Assignment

Instructions for the book review assignment are available. Follow this link.

Book Options

Diamond, J. 1997. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. New York: W.W. Norton. (More Info)

Goodall, J. 2000. In the Shadow of Man (Revised Edition). New York: Houghton Mifflin. (More Info)

Ellison, P.T. 2001. On Fertile Ground: A Natural History of Human Reproduction. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. (More Info)

Jordan, P. 2001. Neanderthal: Neanderthal Man and the Story of Human Origins. Stroud, England: Sutton. (More Info)

Klein, R.G. and Elgar, B. 2002. The Dawn of Human Culture. New York: Wiley & Sons. (More Info)

Pinker, S. 2002. The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature. New York: Viking Press. (More Info)

Ridley, M. 1999. Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters. New York: Perennial. (More Info)

Sapolsky, R.M. 1998. Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: An Updated Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases, and Coping. New York: W.H. Freeman. (More Info)

Weiner, J. 1994. The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. (More Info)

Schedule

Week	Date	Lecture Topic	Reading Assignment
1	Jan. 14	Introduction to anthropology; Biological anthropology; Darwin & natural selection	Chapters 1 & 2
2	Jan. 21	Biological basis of life; Inheritance of traits; Genetics; Mendel; DNA	Chapter 3
3	Jan. 28	Population genetics; Modern synthesis Video: Accidents of Creation (Vol. 2 of The Secret of Life series)	Chapters 4 (71-88) & 14
4	Feb. 4	Speciation; Forces of evolution; Evolution in our time	Chapter 4 (pp. 89-98)
5	Feb. 11	Classification, taxonomy, phylogeny; Mammalian evolutionary heritage Video: Among the Wild Chimpanzees	Chapter 8 (pp. 185-203)
6	Feb. 18	Class Cancelled
7	Feb. 25	Primate classification and comparative anatomy; Ecology	Chapter 5
8	Mar. 4	Midterm Exam
9	Mar. 11	Spring Break -- No Class
10	Mar. 18	Primate behavior, reproduction, communication, and intelligence Video: The New Chimpanzees	Chapters 6 & 7
11	Mar. 25	Geologic time scale; Dating methods; Hominid origins; Ape/human differences; Paleoecology Video: In Search of Human Origins	Chapter 9
12	Apr. 1	Bipedalism; Earliest hominids; Australopithecus	Chapter 10
13	Apr. 8	Early Homo; Stone tools; Dispersal from Africa; Homo erectus	Chapters 11 & 12
14	Apr. 15	Archaic Homo sapiens; Neandertals; Anatomically modern humans; Tools; Art Video: Neanderthals on Trial	Chapter 13
15	Apr. 22	Human variation, adaptability, and ecology Term Papers Due	Chapters 15
16	May 6	Final Exam -- Regular Class Time

Notes

February 11

Video: Among the Wild Chimpanzees

1. Why was the study of chimpanzees at Gombe initiated? Why do you think that Louis Leakey thought it was important that Goodall was “untrained”?

2. How did Goodall gain acceptance into the chimpanzee community? How did her presence alter the behavior of the chimpanzees she was studying?

3. Why was the discovery that chimpanzees made and used tools so important for studies of human evolution?

4. How are chimpanzee male dominance hierarchies established?

5. What did Goodall discover about meat eating and hunting in chimpanzees and why was this important?

6. What were the benefits of the long-term nature of the Gombe study?

7. What are some examples of learned behaviors that are seen in chimpanzees?

8. How do chimpanzees use non-verbal communication, such as touch, in their social relationships?

9. What are examples of aggressive behaviors in the Gombe chimpanzees? What typically triggered these behaviors?

March 18

Video: The New Chimpanzees

1) Culture has long been defined as a uniquely human trait. Do you agree with the film that chimpanzees have culture? How would you define culture?

2) What is the function of grooming in chimpanzees?

3) What strategies do common chimpanzees use to hunt red colobus monkeys? Why would chimps cooperate to hunt?

4) How do chimpanzees share food that they have hunted (i.e., who does the sharing and with whom do they share)? Why might they share food?

5) How does hunting differ in the Tai Forest from the hunting at Gombe? What is likely to explain this difference?

6) How do pygmy chimpanzees (bonobos) differ from common chimpanzees in physical features (anatomy)? How do they differ in behavior?

7) How does the role of females differ between pygmy chimpanzees (bonobos) and common chimpanzees?

8) What is the basis of pygmy chimpanzee (bonobo) dominance hierarchies?

9) What is the evidence for medicine use by chimpanzees?

March 25

Discussion Questions: In Search of Human Origins: Part I—The Story of Lucy

1) What led anthropologists to search for fossils of early humans in Africa, and specifically in the Great Rift Valley?

2) Why are early hominid fossils so rare?

3) What techniques do anthropologists use to reconstruct the environments in which early hominids lived?

4) What was thought to be the main feature separating apes and humans? How was this belief used to hypothesize what the earliest fossil hominids would look like?

5) Who is “Lucy” and where was she found? What made Lucy so different from what anthropologists expected to find in an early hominid?

6) What anatomical evidence was used to suggest that Lucy was a biped? According to Johanson, what might have led to the evolution of bipedalism in early hominids?

7) How did evidence from the site of Laetoli, Tanzania help support the belief that early hominids were bipedal?

8) How does sexual dimorphism relate to social and reproductive behavior? What was the interpretation of Lucy’s species (Australopithecus afarensis)?

April 1

Lab: Ape/Human Differences; Bipedalism; Early Hominids

Station 1 (Human Skeleton): If you are unfamiliar with the human skeleton, arrange the skeleton in anatomical position and place the bone names next to the appropriate bones using the charts and your text. You will be required to learn these bone names.

Station 2 (Skulls: Monkey, Ape, Human). Compare the human skull with that of the ape and the Old World monkey. What are the characteristics that distinguish all these species as all being Old World primates? What are the characteristics that distinguish the hominoids? Compare the ape and human skulls. How do they compare in terms of: 1) size of the brain case; 2) size and projection of the face; and 3) position of the foramen magnum? What is the functional significance of these differences?

Station 3 (Pelvis). What are the different bones that compose the pelvis? What are the key features of the pelvis that differ between humans and apes? How do these differences reflect differences in locomotor patterns?

Station 4 (Hominid Lower Limb). Hominids are defined by their habitual upright stance and form of locomotion. What are the main anatomical traits you see in the human lower limb that reflect bipedalism?

Station 5 (Australopithecines). Examine the two australopithecine skulls (“robust” and “gracile” australopithecines) and compare them. What features distinguish both australopithecine skulls as hominids? What are some of the key differences between these skulls? What do you think these differences indicate about differences in the ecology and behavior of these hominids?

April 15

Discussion Questions: Neanderthals on Trial

1) What were the results of Svante Pääbo’s study of Neandertal mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)? Why is this study important for understanding the role of Neandertals in modern human origins?

2) What are the main anatomical differences between Neandertals and modern humans?

3) What are the main differences in material culture (i.e., the archaeological record) between Neandertals and modern humans?

4) How has the skeleton of a child from Portugal factored into the debate about the role of Neandertals in modern human origins?

5) Who was Marcellin Boule and why was he important in establishing the interpretation of Neandertals that has continued even until today?

6) How has the interpretation of Neandertals changed over the past 100 years and how is this related to preconceptions and societal changes (such as occurred in the 1960s & 1970s)?

7) Do you think that we can ever divorce ourselves from political and social views of how the world works when we are reconstructing the lives of Neandertals or early hominids?

8) How have Dan Lieberman’s studies of Neandertals contributed to our understanding of the role of Neandertals in modern human origins?

Lecture Notes

Lecture 1 (1/14/03; Introduction to Anthropology; Introduction to Human Evolutionary Studies)

Lecture 2 (1/21/03; Evolutionary Biology; Darwin & Natural Selection)

Lecture 3 (1/28/03; Genetics; Forces of Evolution)

Lecture 4 (2/4/03; Population Genetics; Modern Synthesis; Macroevolution)

Lecture 5 (2/11/03; Macroevolution; Phylogeny; Taxonomy; Our Mammalian Heritage)

Lecture 6 (2/25/03; Our Mammalian Heritage; Primates)

Lecture 7 (3/18/03; Primate Ecology, Behavior, and Reproduction)

Lecture 8 (3/25/03; Primate Ecology, Behavior, and Reproduction; Fossil Evidence for Human Evolution; Dating Methods)

Lecture 9 (4/1/03; Bipedalism; Earliest Hominids; Australopithecus)

Lecture 10 (4/8/03; Early Hominids; Australopithecus afarensis; Australopithecus; Early Homo; Homo erectus)

Lecture 11 (4/15/03; Homo erectus; Archaic Homo sapiens; Neandertals)

Lecture 12 (4/22/03; Anatomically Modern Humans; "The Human Revolution"; Human Biological Variation)

Some Interesting Links

The Works of Charles Darwin (Text of On the Origin of Species, The Descent of Man, and The Voyage of the Beagle)

National Center for Science Education (Interesting information on the teaching of evolution and creationism in the United States)

ABC News Article "Evolutionary Beliefs: Views in the U.S. Much Different Than Elsewhere"

CNN.com Arcticle "Evolution-Creation Debate Grows Louder With Kansas Controversy"

The Jane Goodall Institute