Essay Questions

Chapter 8: Homo erectus and the Emergence of Hunting and Gathering

1. In what ways are we similar to Homo erectus? How are we different?
   
2. How does the development of symbolic thought relate to language capabilities? How important is symbolic thought? How does the fossil evidence support or disprove Homo erectus' development of symbolic thought?
   
3. Why was Davidson Black’s discovery of Sinanthropus so important? How did it change the shape of paleoanthropological research at the time?
   
4. What are the differences between the Homo erectus populations of Africa, Asia, and Europe? Do you see any similar differences in modern populations?
   
5. How do tools, fire, and shelter relate to the environment? How can these things help people in diverse environments? Compare the tool technology, control of fire and the environment of H. erectus in Asia, Africa and Europe.