Republic of the Philippines

UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN PHILIPPINES

University Town, Northern Samar, Philippines
Web: http://uep.edu.ph; Email: uepnsofficial@gmail.com

UEP LABORATORY HIGH SCHOOL

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

UNDERSTANDING CULTURE,
SOCIETY AND POLITICS
MODULE III: LOOKING BACK AT THE HUMAN BIOCULTURAL
AND SOCIAL EVOLUTION

PREPARED BY:
AMEIL CRISTA O. ASEO, LPT
Course Lecturer

APPROVED BY:
MARLO D. ALVAREZ, PhD.
School Principal
 MODULE 3 LESSON 1: BIOLOGICAL AND
CULTURAL EVOLUTION FROM AUSTRALOPITHECUS TO
HOMO SAPIENS

Biological and cultural evolutions are key concepts in the study of the origins
of the modern humans. Biological evolution refers to the changes, modifications,
and variations in the genetics and inherited traits of biological populations from one
generation to another. Evolution is diverse and it occurs in different levels of the
biological population. It can occur in the level of species or organism and even in the
molecular level. Cultural evolution or sociocultural evolution, on the other hand,
refers to the changes or development in cultures from a simple form to a more
complex form of human culture.

OBJECTIVE/S:
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
1. Explain the differences of biological and cultural revolution
2. Explain how hominids evolved into modern humans
3. Identify the biological and cultural evolution from Australopithecus to Homo
sapiens.

ACTIVITY 1.1
Photo Analysis
Analyze the photo and answer the questions that follow
 Question Answer

1. What do you see in the picture?

Describe their appearance and
expressions

2. List three things you infer from this

picture

3. What question does this photograph

raise in your mind?

Biological evolution based on the theory of

evolution that was introduced by the famous English
naturalist and geologist Charles Darwin (1809-1882).
Natural selection, according to Darwin, was the reason for
the occurrence or evolution, after conducting numerous
studies regarding the changes that occur among plants,
fossil animals, and different breeds of pigeons, concluded
that each species was not created at one time in a fixed
form. According to him, the environment favors certain
organism and those organism that survive can pass on
their traits. Natural selection has three important
principles. These are variation, heritability, and differential
reproductive success.

FROM HOMINIDS TO HOMO SAPIENS SAPIENS: THE BIOLOGICAL AND

CULTURAL EVOLUTION OF MODERN HUMANS

Modern Humans follows an evolutionary ladder which illustrates the apelike

ancestors of modern humans at the base and the modern human (homo sapiens
sapiens) at the top.

In order to understand the development of the humans archeologist studied

the ancient past of humans through excavations and search for fossils and artifacts.
Fossils refer to the human plant and animal remain that have been preserved
through time like teeth, skull, and bone fragments. Artifacts refer to object that were
made and used by humans. Hominid is the general term used by scientist to
categorized the group of early humans and other like human creators that can walk
erect during the prehistoric times.
 Four categories of Hominids:

 Sahelanthropus - It had both apelike and human like characteristics; a skull

similar to the australopethicus and modern human.; brain size of 320-380
cubics centimeters; small teeth and had the ability to walk upright.
 Ardipithecus - It has two species namely: the ardipithecus kadabba and
ardipithecus ramidus. Ardipithecus means ‘ape on the ground’ while ramidus
means ‘root’. Some of its characteristics are small brain, height of about four
feet, walks on two legs or feets and weight up about 120 pounds.
 Australopithecus or ‘southern ape’ - They live in the African jungle to five
million to one million years ago. There are six species of the Australopithecus
and they are divided into two major categories: the gracile and the robust. The
gracile australopithecine had small teeth and jaw. Included in this group are
the Australopithecus anamensis, Australopithecus afarensis,
Australopithecus africanus. The robust Australopithecus grow, on the other
hand, included the Australopithecus aethiopicus, Australopithecus robustus,
and the Australopithecus boisei. These Australopithecines had large teeth and
jaws and muscular built. ‘Lucy was considered as one of the modern human’s
earliest ancestors and remains as the most famous hominids fossil
discovered.
 Homo - Classified as humans because they had bigger brains and were by
bipedal. The homo species included the homo habilis (hany man), homo
erectus (upright man), homo sapiens (wise man). The homo ergaster was the
next homo species to flourish. It was from this species where homo erectus
come from. The first fossil of the homo erectus in Asia was found in
Longgufo cave in china, another evidence was excavated in Trinil, Java,
Indonesia by Eugene Dubois. Meanwhile another homo erectus skull was
excavated in a cave in Zhoukoudian, China, this became known as the Peking
Man. Homo erectus is believed to be more intelligent and more adaptable
compared to the homo habilis.
Compared to other homo species, the homo sapiens made
sophisticated and smoothened tools and had developed shelter and advanced
technology. Cro-Magnon is not the first fossil skeleton to be considered as a
species of the homo sapiens, called as homo sapiens sapiens.
Museum are one of the most easily accessible places where we can
see various artifacts, fossils, and other evidence. In the Philippines, we have
the National Museum of the Philippines which serve as an ‘educational,
scientific, and cultural institution that acquires, preserves, exhibit, and fosters
scholarly study and public appreciation of works of arts, specimen and
cultural and historical artifacts’.
ACTIVITY 1.2
Identification
Answer what is being asked on the following items. Answers must be
spelled correctly.

___________1. He is the father of human evolution.

___________2. This means “ape on the ground”
__________ 3. It was considered as one of modern human’s earliest ancestors and
was discovered in Hadar Ethiopia.
__________ 4. It is believed to be more intelligent and adaptable. The first Homo who
used fire.
__________ 5. This type of Homo species was considered as modern humans.
__________ 6. An institution that primarily task to conserved, communicate and
exhibit all material and non-material heritages of human society.
_________ 7. The first fossil skeleton to be considered as a species of Homo sapiens.
_________ 8. This category of Australopithecus has small teeth and jaw.
_________ 9. This is where Homo erectus came from.
________ 10. This type of Homo species was the direct ancestor of the modern
human because of its ability to produce tools. They are called handy man.
 LESSON 2: SOCIOCULTURAL AND POLITICAL EVOLUTION:
THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCITIES FROM THE HUNTING AND
GATHERING TO THE AGRICULTURAL, INDUSTRIAL, AND
POST-INDUSTRIAL STAGES
This lesson studies how hunting and gathering societies developed step by
step to become agricultural, industrial, and then post-industrial societies. It examines
how cultural evolution affected the development of each stage of society. The
lesson also analyzes how political evolution was clearly shown in the development of
the four major cradles of civilization.

OBJECTIVE/S:
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
1. Explain the different types of societies.
2. Understand the political development of early civilizations.
3. Analyze how societies evolve through time.

ACTIVITY 2.1
Critical Thinking
Differentiate the various types of society by completing the table below. Atleast 1-3
words can do to describe their differences.

Forms of Social Cultural

Stages Economic Developments Developments
Subsistence
Hunting and
Gathering

Horticultural
Pastoral

Agricultural

Industrial

Post-Industrial

The Social as “Driver of Interaction”

Gerhard Lenski (1924-2015), an American

sociologist, argued that human society undergoes
transformation and evolution and in the process
develops technological advancement. This is called
sociocultural evolution. For Lenski, the development of
technology, the information acquired by humans on
how to apply societal resources as a response to
humans needs and wants, leads to the evolution and
transformation of society. Societies are of different
types and their types depend on their level of
development. These include the following:

 Hunting and Gathering Societies

The oldest and most basic way of economic subsistence in hunting
and gathering. Hunting and gathering produces societies produce simple
forms of tools used to hunt for animals and gather plants and vegetation for
food. In the society, the men are tasked to hunt large animal game. The
 women, on the other hand, are responsible for the collection of vegetation and
small edible crops. Because of this setup. the scientist describes the
relationship between men and women as being equal.
Since hunting and gathering societies rely on nature for their food, they
frequently move. Hence, they are nomadic societies. During the Paleolithic
period (2,500,000-10,000 BCE), These societies lived in small group with only
20 to 30 members. Family is the basic unit of hunting and gathering societies.
They usually have a shaman or a priest who acts as the leader of the group.

 Horticultural Societies
Horticultural societies developed around 10,000 years ago and they
described as semi-sedentary societies because they do not frequently move.
These societies subsist through small-scale farming. They produce and used
simple forms of hand tools to plant crops. In horticultural societies, there is a
surplus of food. Some of its members engage in other forms of subsistence
like making crafts and trading.

 Pastoral Societies
The principal means of pastoralists is animal domestication.
Pastoralist societies developed in dry regions of the world were raising crops
was not possible. They engage in small-scale trading with other groups. They
are describe as semi-sedentary as well because they have settlements but do
not stay in one place permanently.

 Agricultural Societies
Agricultural societies began 5,000 years ago during the Neolithic Period
(8000-4000 BCE). With this major sociocultural and economic development,
agricultural societies started to cultivate wheat, barley, peas, rice, and millet
between 8000 and 3500 BCE. During this time, humans began to farm and
domesticate animals as their form of subsistence.
During the Neolithic Revolution, agricultural societies developed and
their population increased into millions. They are settled permanently and
improved the technology for farming. As the society developed and its
members developed specialization, money become a form of exchange
replacing the barter system.

 Industrial Societies
Industrial societies began when the Industrial Revolution swept
through the Europe during the 1780s to 1850s. During the Industrial
Revolution, new sources of energy were harnessed, advance forms of
technology were applied, and machineries were invented. These changes led
to industrialization or the transformation of the agricultural society into a
production -and manufacturing-based one. During this time, people left their
farm lands and transferred to the urban areas to work in factories.

 Post-industrial Societies
With the development of information technology and computers, many
societies transformed into post-industrial societies. Daniel Bell, an American
 sociologist at Harvard University, introduced the rise of the post-industrial
society. According to Bell (1999), post-industrial societies are characterized
by the following:
1. Transfer of labor workforce from manufacturing to service.
2. A significant increase in the number of professional and
technical employment and a decline in the number of skilled and
semi-skilled workers.
3. Education as the basis of the social mobility.
4. Human capital as an essential aspect of understanding the
strength of society.
5. Application of “intellectual technology” which is based on the
application of mathematics and linguistics and the use of
algorithms and software programming models
6. Focus on communication infrastructure.
7. Knowledge and source of invention and innovation.

POLITICAL EVOLUTION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY CIVILIZATION

The development of the early civilization showed the political evolution of

society. The four civilization flourished along the rich river plains or river valleys.
These includes the Sumerian civilization that developed along the Tigris and
Euphrates River in West Asia; the Indus Valley civilization that started along the Indus
River Valley in India; the Sheng civilization of China that developed near the Huang
Ho/Huang He River; and the Egyptian civilization that started along the Nile River.
What are the characteristics of their civilizations? Below are their important
characteristics:
1. Developed and highly advanced cities
2. Well-defined city centers
3. Complex and systematic institutions
4. Organized and centralized system of government
5. Formalized and complex form of religion
6. Job specialization
7. Development of social classes
8. Implementation of large-scale public works and infrastructure like defense
walls, monuments, temples, mausoleums, government edifices, trading
centers, and markets
9. Sophisticated and detailed forms of arts and architecture
10. Advanced technology
11. System of writing and recording

Political systems of civilization have a highly centralized and well organized form
of government whose leaders are powerful enough to order the building of massive
infrastructure and implement new policies for citizens. The political system of the
early civilizations had a clear hierarchy of officials with specific functions and
responsibilities.
Political leaders of early civilizations were also tasked to do the following:
1. Craft laws
2. Implement laws
3. Impose justice and punishment
4. Collect taxes
 5. Sometimes act as religious leader as well

Activity 2.2
Present the different political systems of the four major cradles of civilizations. Fill
up the table below. Atleast 2-5 words can do to describe their differences.

Social Class Sumer Egypt Indus Valley Shang

Highest Social
Classes
(Political
Leaders)

Other social
classes