Evolution of Mankind

     Evolution has contributed to brain development, with food being the ultimate drive for survival and behavior. History and time have shaped prehistoric man into modern humans.

    The first human like creatures didn’t look like humans at all. They looked more like modern apes. They had hairy bodies and small eyes. When they walked they would have appeared to have a bad back. They had a very fragile bone structure. And their brain was about the size of a small dog.

    In the next million’s of years early humans began to develop larger brains. These larger brains enabled them to figure out how to hunt, find shelter, and provide meat for their families. This brain also enabled them to react towards rivals, and find mechanisms for survival. The early humans were learning how to protect all things they valued.

   Over the next millions of years, the climate, animals, and vegetation started to change. Some parts of the world had frozen lakes, with snow-covered hillsides. To survive this bitter cold weather, man killed large animals, saved their meat, and used the fur for warmth. Other parts of their world were plentiful in vegetation with fruit bearing trees, drinking water, and prey animals. The weather was very hot, so the early humans sweated more often, learning how to cool themselves. The animals were starting to change as well. Animals such as horses, rhinos, and elephants were starting to form into their modern day shape(s). And as animals changed, so did their environment. Vegetation and other prehistoric prey started to die out, so now evolution could make way for more animals that we see in our local zoo.

   Behavior played a big factor in human survival. As their brain’s got even bigger, they found out they would have to compete with other early humans. man would fight over meat, territory, shelter, and mating partners. Each group of early humans had a strict territorial area. Outsiders would not have been tolerated. If another group came over to steal another’s territory, it would have been a fight to the death. In the process of this fight, anyone could have been killed.

  Today, evolution has brought mankind to completion. Evolution has also formed different races. These new races of people have found multiple ways of survival. This includes co-existing with both wild and domesticated animals. Today, however, mankind has much easier ways of finding food, shelter and women. Mankind has found much better ways to cool off and keep warm. Their brains are now fully formed. But the fight for survival will never end.

ã 2005 by Hope Noyes, All Rights Reserved