The controversy surrounding Darwin's theory of the origin of man, which has agitated scientists in recent centuries, has finally subsided. It turned out that both man and great apes descended from one common relative - parapithecus. According to anthropologists, from this period, humans and their humanoid relatives each went their own way of development.
About 300 million years ago, the most ancient primates of the parapithecus appeared on Earth - the common ancestors of both great apes and humans. It was these humanoid creatures that, about ten million years ago, split into three lines, each of which led to the emergence of modern orangutans, chimpanzees and humans.
Early stages of human development
The most important condition for the transformation of parapithecus into a person was the development of bipedal locomotion. After all, only it could free the hands of these bestial creatures. And this process, in the end, led to the emergence of a skilled person.
He lived about two million years ago. This creature, according to the structure of the skeleton, was very much like a monkey. Although, the structure of the pelvic bones and the position of the head, spoke of a certain straightness of the spine. And only a brain volume of 500 cubic centimeters indicated that it was much closer to a person than a gorilla or chimpanzee.
The next stage of evolutionary development is occupied by Homo erectus. He lived about one and a half million years ago. The structure of his skeleton, found in the south of Europe, suggests that he still very much resembled a monkey. However, Homo erectus was already able to produce fire and make primitive tools of labor from stone and bone. In addition, he began to live in caves and began to settle in more northern latitudes outside the African continent.
Pithecanthropus, Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons
Pithecanthropus lived on the planet about four hundred thousand years ago. Their growth reached 170 centimeters, and the brain volume was already almost the same as that of a modern person. They lived in small groups in caves. They were engaged in hunting and gathering.
They replaced them, after about 200 thousand years, the Neanderthals inhabited the territories of Africa, Europe and South Asia. They already knew how to make stabbing and cutting tools from bones and stone, wore clothes from the skins of killed animals. The structure of the lower jaw of the Neanderthals shows that they have developed the rudiments of speech.
And finally, about 50 thousand years ago, Cro-Magnons appeared, who formed a single row of Homo Sapiens - Homo sapiens. The Cro-Magnons already completely lacked the features of monkeys. Cro-Magnons possessed articulate speech, knew how to make skillful tools from stone and bone, tame animals and began to master agriculture.
Thus, the history of the development of primitive man was completed and the evolution of human society began, which in the future began to form socio-economic factors.
