G.D.Goenka Public School, Siliguri: On-Line Learning Portal Class: Xi Subject: History

G.D.
GOENKA PUBLIC SCHOOL, SILIGURI
ON-LINE LEARNING PORTAL
CLASS: XI SUBJECT: HISTORY
CHAPTER-1
FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME

UNIT-1
Sources to understand early human history
 Discoveries of human fossils, stone tools and cave paintings help us to understand early
human history. Each of these discoveries has a history of its own.
 Fossils are the remains or impressions of a very old human which have turned into
stone. These are often embedded in rock, and are thus preserved for millions of years.
 Stone tools made and used by early humans are available in various parts of Africa and
Europe. Stone tools such as pebbles, sharp stones, stone blades etc were used for various
purposes in early human life.
 Paintings found on the walls of the caves in Europe and Africa are helping us to
understand early human history.
CHARLES DARWIN AND ‘ ORIGIN OF SPECIES’
Most scholars refused to accept that these objects were the remains of early humans.
They did not believe the ability of early humans to make stone tools or paint. Because
according to Old Testament of the Bible, human origin was an act of Creation by God.
After a few years the true significance of these finds was realised.
 The theory of evolution by natural selection, first formulated in Darwin's book "On the
Origin of Species" in 1859, is the process by which organisms change over time as a
result of changes in heritable physical or behavioural traits. Changes that allow an
organism to better adapt to its environment will help it survive and have more offspring
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The Story of Human Evolution
Between 36 million years and 24 million years primates, a category of mammals

emerged in Asia and Africa. Primates are a subgroup of a larger group of mammals. They
include monkeys, apes and humans. They have body hair, a relatively long gestation
period following birth, mammary glands, different types of teeth, and the ability to
maintain a constant body temperature.
 Between 24 MYA and 5.6MYA there emerged a subgroup amongst primates, called
hominoids. Hominoids are different from monkeys in a number of ways. They have a
larger body and do not have a tail. Besides, there is a longer period of infant development
and dependency amongst hominoids.
 Between 5.6 MYA and 1.8 MYA hominids have evolved from hominoids and share
certain common features and have major differences as well. They differences were,
S.NO Hominoids Hominids
1 Hominoids have Hominoids have
a smaller brain a little bigger brain
2 They are quadrupeds, Hominids have an
walking on all upright posture and bipedal locomotion (walking on
Four legs two feet)
3 They have flexible They have flexibility in hand, leg and fingers which
forelimbs helped them to make tools and weapons.
And marked differences
in the hand
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 Hominids are further subdivided into two branches, known
as Australopithecus and Homo. Each of these in turn includes several species.
The major differences between Australopithecus and Homo relate to brain size,
jaws and teeth. The Australopithecus have smaller brain size, heavier jaws and
larger teeth than the Homo. The name Australopithecus comes from a Latin
word, ‘austral’, meaning ‘southern’ and a Greek word, ‘pithekos’, meaning ‘ape.’
 Homo is a Latin word, meaning ‘man’, although there were women as well!
Scientists distinguish amongst several types of Homo. The names assigned to
these species are derived from what are regarded as their typical characteristics.
So fossils are classified as Homo habilis (the tool maker), Homo erectus (the
upright man), and Homo sapiens (the wise or thinking man) Homo sapiens
sapiens (modern man)
THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK MECHANISM
1. Some of the features or developments in the anatomy of early human beings favoured or
shaped them to become modern human beings. These developments are together called
positive feedback mechanism.
Bi-pedalism or upright walking helped to use less energy for hunting, carrying infants,
making and using weapons.
2. Flexibility in hands and fingers enabled hands to be freed for carrying infants or objects.
In turn, as hands were used more and more running became easy.
3. Growth in the size of the brain helped for thinking, memorizing, planning and realizing to
make new attempts for further developments.
4. Visual surveillance improved in early humans it favoured for long distance walking,
search food, find animals and many more works.
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G.D.

GOENKA PUBLIC SCHOOL, SILIGURI

ON-LINE LEARNING PORTAL

CLASS: XI SUBJECT: HISTORY

FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME

Sources to understand early human history

Between 36 million years and 24 million years primates, a category of mammals

THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK MECHANISM

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