Prehistory (13.8 bya–3 kya) Flashcards
(34 cards)
What event marked the beginning of the universe 13.8 billion years ago?
The Big Bang, which created space, time, matter, and energy.
When did the Solar System begin to form and how long did it take?
It began forming 4.6 billion years ago and took about 50–100 million years.
When did Earth form and what was it like?
Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago as a molten planetary body.
What happened during the Hadean Eon (4.6–4 bya)?
Earth was molten, the Moon formed from a collision with Theia, and the crust began to solidify.
What major development occurred during the Archean Eon (4–2.5 bya)?
The first microbial life appeared around 3.8 bya and the atmosphere remained oxygen-poor.
What were the key events of the Proterozoic Eon (2.5 bya–541 mya)?
The Great Oxidation Event occurred, eukaryotic cells appeared, and multicellular life began.
What marks the start of the Phanerozoic Eon?
The appearance of abundant visible and complex life, starting 541 million years ago.
What happened during the Paleozoic Era (541–252 mya)?
Marine life rapidly diversified, forests and reptiles emerged, and the Great Dying ended the era.
What was the Cambrian Explosion?
A period of rapid diversification of marine life around 541 million years ago.
What was the Permian-Triassic extinction event?
The most severe extinction event, eliminating 96% of marine species.
What is the Mesozoic Era known for?
It’s known as the Age of Dinosaurs and includes the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods.
When did the first dinosaurs and mammals appear?
Around 200 million years ago during the Triassic Period.
When did the first birds and flowering plants appear?
Around 130 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period.
What happened during the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event?
Non-avian dinosaurs went extinct, allowing mammals to rise.
When did primate-like mammals first appear?
About 65 million years ago, after the dinosaur extinction.
What is the Cenozoic Era?
The current era (66 mya–present), when mammals became dominant.
What are the epochs of the Quaternary Period?
The Pleistocene (2.58 mya–11.7 kya) and the Holocene (11.7 kya–present).
When did the earliest hominins appear?
Around 7 million years ago in Africa.
What is the Paleolithic Era known for?
It is the Old Stone Age, marked by nomadic hunter-gatherers.
Who was Homo habilis and when did they appear?
The first widely accepted Homo species, appearing around 2.4 million years ago.
Who were the Neanderthals?
Homo neanderthalensis who lived in Europe and Asia between 400,000 and 40,000 years ago.
Why was the control of fire important in prehistory?
It revolutionized diet, safety, and living conditions around 1.7 million years ago.
When did Homo sapiens emerge?
Anatomically modern humans appeared around 300,000 years ago.
What was the Cognitive Revolution?
Around 70,000 years ago, humans developed abstract thinking, complex language, and symbolic culture.
