This document is scanned in with an optical character generator and may contain typos. The hard copy handed out the first day is controlling.Anthropology 1101: Human Origins Fall, 1997
Martha Tappen, Professor Office: 250 Ford Hall. Office hours: Tuesdays 11.15-1:00, or by appointment, 625-3087 Anthropology Department Office: 215 Ford Hall, 625-3400 tappe004@tc.umn.edu
Theresa Early, Head Teaching Assistant earlOOl4@maroon.tc.umn.edu TA Office: 275 Ford Hall, 625-0166
Humans are unique in the animal world. In this class, we will take a journey through time to examine the evolution of humans, and how natural selection the same process that gives the butterfly its wings, the horse its speed, and the worm its wiggle, also shapes our own anatomy and behavior. The first half of the course is based firmly in the present. The first half of the course is intended to give you a strong background in evolutionary theory, Natural Selection, genetics, principles of behavioral biology and the comparative anatomy of living organisms (primarily monkeys and apes). Our goal is to reconstruct the evolutionary history of our lineage, and the anatomy and behavior of our ancestors. This is the subject of the second half of the course. We will attempt to reconstruct the ecology, diet, anatomy, locomotion and even the social behavior of the hominids (human ancestors) using evolutionary principles. Among the "big questions in human evolution" we will address are: How did climate change affect macro and micro evolutionary patterns? How does tool use and culture feed back upon our bodies? When and where did our species, Home sapiens, in its modem form, originate?
Lectures, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:45-11:00 am, Willey Hall Room 175. You are required to attend all lectures.
Labs: You are required to go the labs to get credit for this course. You must go to the first lab meeting that you are registered for, or you could forfeit your position in the course. The first few lab handouts are now available for you to purchase at Paradigm Course Resource, in the Dinkydome, 14" and University Ave. SE..
Required Text: Robert Boyd and Joan Silk, 1997: How Humans Evolved, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., New York. (S&B). A copy of the textbook is on reserve in Wilson Library. Additional RequiredReadings are in the Course Packet, available at Paradigm.
Grade Assessment: Lab (participation and worksheets) 20% In-lab quizzes 5% (one quiz grade is dropped, no make-up quizzes will be offered)
Take-home writing assignments (2 of approximately 2-3 pages) 10% Midterm 30% (October 23'd, in lecture) Final 35% (cumulative)
Exams will be of mixed format, mainly multiple choice, short essay. The midterm will include a take-home essay assignment due at the exam in lecture on October 23rd
There will be no make-up exams except in exceptional cases of dire illness or emergency, and requests for such make-ups must be made to your TA before the exam.
Syllabus of Readings and Lecture Topics
WEEK 1 Readings: S&B: Prologue and Chapter 1 Natural Selection
Thur Sept. 25: Introduction: Humans: Another Unique species
WEEK 2 Readings: S&B: Chapter 2 Genetics, Chapter 3 The Modern synthesis
Tue Sept. 30: Natural Selection, Selfish Genes and Evolution Thur Oct. 2: cent.
WEEK 3 Readings: S&B: Chapter 4 Speciation and Phylogeny, Chapter 5 Intro to the Primates, see also Appendix 1
Tue Oct. 7: Our Relatives the Modern Primates Thur Oct. 9: cent.
WEEK 4 Readings: S&B: Chapter 16 Human Genetic Diversity, Chapter 6 Primate Ecology
Tue Oct. 14: Humans are Apes Thur Oct. 16: cent.
WEEK 5 Readings: S&B: Chapter 6 Primate Ecology, Chapter 7 Primate Mating systems, Packet: Wrangham, R. 1997 Subtle, secret chimpanzees, and one additional article from the reading packet assigned to you by your TA in lab.
Tue Oct. 21. The Fossil Evidence: Chronological, Geological and Paleoenvironnental Context Thur Oct 23: MIDTERM EXAM
WEEK 6 Readings: S&B Chapter 10, From Tree shrew to Ape
Tue Oct. 28: Early primate evolution and the origins of the hominids Thur Oct. 30: The functional morphology ofAustralopithecus: committed biped or broad positional repertoire?
WEEK 7 Readings: S&B Chapter 11: The Earliest Hominids. Packet: Shreeve, J. 1996: Sunset on the Savanna.
Tue Nov. 4: Macroevolution: Climate Change and Speciation Thur Nov. 6: More on australopithecines
WEEK 8 Readings: S&B Chapter 12: The lives of early hominids. Packet: Isaac, G.LI. 1985: Foundation Stones.
Tue Nov. 11 Early hominids: Taxonomic and Behavioral Issues Thur Nov. 13 cent.
WEEK 9 Readings: S&B Chapt. 13: The Ancients. Packet: Walker and Shipman, 1996 Vital Stastistics on a Dead Boy, Skeleton Keys and The Predatory Habit. Blumenschine, R.J. and Cavallo, J.A. 1992 Scavenging and Human Evolution.
Tue Nov. 18: Home erectus: Out of africa Thur Nov. 20 cent.
WEEK 10 Readings: S&B Chapt. 14: The Moderns, Packet: Stringer, C. and Gamble, C. Portrait of a Neanderthal, Wade, N. 1997. Neanderthal DNA sheds new light on human origins.
Tue Nov. 25: Neanderthal functional morphology and adaptations (and DNA!) Thur Nov 27: Thanksgiving
Week 11 Readings: S&B Chapters 15: The Evolution oflanguage; 18: Evolution and Human Behavior; 9 Primate Intelligence
Tue Dec. 2: The origins of modern humans: fossil and genetic evidence Thur Dec. 4: The Past is the key to the Present: The EEA and living in an alien environment
Final Exam: Friday, Dec 12, 1:30-3:30 pm 175 Willey Hall.
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