1

Fight the Power-1989

Public Enemy (Do the Right Thing)

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

What Is Anthropology?

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Overview
Anthropology confronts basic questions of human existence and survival.
How we originated. How we have changed. How we are changing still.

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Anthropology is holistic
Interested in the whole of the human condition
Past, present, and future Biology Society Language Culture

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Subfields
Cultural anthropology examines cultural diversity of the present and recent past.
Archaeology reconstructs behavior by studying material remains

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Adaptation, Variation, and Change

Adaptation process by which organisms cope with environmental forces and stresses
Humans adapt using biological and cultural means
2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Adaptation, Variation, and Change

Rate of change accelerated during the past 10,000 years First civilizations arose between 6000 and 5000 B.P. (Before the Present)

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

General Anthropology

Sound conclusions about human nature cannot be derived from studying a single nation, society, or cultural tradition
2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Archeological Anthropology
Study of human behavior and cultural patterns and process through material remains
Artifacts (e.g., potsherds, jewelry, and tools) Garbage Burials Remains of structures

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Origin of Man Classic Hypothesis

European Humans African Humans

Asian Humans

Neandertals H. antecessor H. ergaster

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Genetic Diversity
Humanity had a recent origin African origin Small population that rapidly expanded recently

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Where did modern man come from?

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Mitochondrial DNA
Humanity originated less than 150,000 ya Small population of women Single location (Africa)

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Origin of Man

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Origin of Races Conclusions

The origin of the races was not thought to be important enough to put in the Bible Biological changes required to produce human races are well within those possible through microevolutionary processes

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Notes
Modern humans originated recently from a small population at a single geographic location Modern culture and religious expression appeared suddenly and dramatically Modern humans are not descended from Neandertals

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.