Cavemen first appeared during the Pleistocene epoch.
In geology and anthropology the history of the Earth has been broken down into what these scientists call periods. The Quaternary Period takes you from the end of the ice age, about 1.8 million years ago, up until the present day. The Quaternary Period is often denoted as the period of man, as man has been around since the end of the ice age.
Quaternary Period
Geological periods are subdivided into what are called epochs. The Quaternary Period is separated into two epochs. The Pleistocene Epoch lasted from the end of the ice age 1.8 million years ago to 11,00 years ago. The epoch beginning 11,000 years ago lasting until the present day is called the Holocene Epoch. The Quaternary Period covers the prehistory and the history of mankind.
Pleistocene Epoch
The Pleistocene Epoch (also sometimes called the ice age) was a period of climatic change. It was during this epoch that the last ice age occurred. Glaciers spread down from the Arctic and up from the Antarctic into what today is called temperate zones. Fossils from this period are abundant, and they are dated with a high degree of accuracy. Man first appeared on the scene during this period and he shared the Earth with animals like the mammoth.
Holocene Epoch
Man had spread to almost all parts of the planet Earth by the beginning of the Holocene Epoch, which began between 10,000 and 11,000 years ago. Glaciers which had covered much of the northern United States had receded by the beginning of the period leaving glacial lakes and soil and rock deposits as their legacy. It was during this period that man took over his position as the dominant species on the Earth.
Thesis Ideas
There are abundant ideas for you to choose from to write a thesis on Quaternary studies. One interesting idea to consider is the hypothesis that man as a hunter killed off many of the species that were around during the Pleistocene Epoch. Or if your mind has a more geological orientation you could consider looking into the changes wrought by the advent and end of the ice age. Of course you could also pick a more modern subject like global warming or some offshoot of this problem.
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