U4 AOS2 Topic 11: Human Migration

According to the fossil record the earliest known hominins first evolved in Africa around 4 million years ago, after around 2-2.5 million years these early hominins started to migrate to Europe and Asia 

Out of Africa hypothesis this hypothesis suggests that humans first evolved in Africa before migrating to other parts of the world such as Africa and Asia

DNA of modern humans demonstrates that our mitochondrial lineages traced back to a common ancestor that lived in Africa around 150 000 to 300 000 years back.

Modern humans have far less genetic diversity and the reason to this is that we have only existed for around 200 000 years

Some of the oldest human fossils found are around 160 000 years old and were found in Africa, later fossils were found from other parts of the world, and they were around 100 000 years old which tells us that humans migrated from Africa to other regions.

Scientists have also found tools, carvings, and cave paintings which tell us how humans evolved culturally

Multiregional hypothesis suggests that the evolution of humans happened in different parts of the world instead of only Africa, there is limited evidence to support this hypothesis

DNA evidence tells us that around 50 000 to 65 000 years ago a wave of migrants reached Sahul which is present-day Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea, the extinction of the Australian megafauna (large terrestrial animals) 42 000 years ago is also evidence for the rapid migration of modern hominins across the continent.

Country this term refers to the relationship between an individual and their land, the land provides for the people and it is sustained by their culture and care.