The Evolution of Race

Development of Human Variation

What is Race?

a human population partially isolated reproductively from other populations, whose members share a greater degree of physical and genetic similarity with one another than with other humans.

How did Race develop?TWO MAJOR THEORIES:• “Out of Africa” Theory-

– Stephen Oppenheimer – “The Real Eve”-- Based on genetic

research regarding mtDNA– All other Homo species [like H.

erectus] throughout the world died out and were replaced by homo sapiens who all came out from Africa.

• Multi-regional Theory-– Carleton S. Coon (1904-1981) – Homo sapiens evolved from subspecies

of Homo erectus throughout the world at different times and different rates.

– Coon divided races into several major groups:

Zaire, Africa

Negroid/Congoid

IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Southern Africa

Negroid/Capoid

Caucasoid

Germany, Europe

IN EUROPE, SOUTH ASIA, AND NORTH AFRICA

Mongoloid

Borneo, Asia

IN EAST ASIA, THE ARTIC, AND THE AMERICAS

AustraloidSolomon Islands,

Australia

IN AUSTRALIA REGION

Coon’s Multi-regional Theory

• Caucasoid race

• Congoid race

• Capoid race

• Mongoloid race

• Australoid race

Turn to someone next to you…

What is the major difference between

the “Out of Africa” and

Multi-regional theories?

Which theory is right?

• Genetic Evidence increasingly supports the “Out of Africa” Theory

• While there are obvious physical differences between all people (skin, hair color, body size, etc.), we are genetically 99.9% the same. – Only 10 genes affect our skin color. All humans

are capable of becoming black or white. It just takes around 20,000 years…

– 85% of genetic differences between humans occur within nationalities.

Why do we look different?

– Melanin- A chemical in the body. In skin, hair, and eyes.•Protects body from damaging

ultraviolet rays•Albinos lack melanin

– The more ultraviolet rays in the geographic area, the greater the necessity for more melanin, or darker skin.

Is Race a good way to classify people? • RACE IS NO LONGER A

SCIENTIFICALLY USED TERM– IT IS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION

• ARBITRARINESS OF CLASSIFICATION– THERE IS MORE RACIAL VARIATION

WITHIN A RACIAL GROUP THAN FOUND BETWEEN RACIAL GROUPS

• DEBUNKING MYTHS– MANY CIVILIZATIONS HAVE ADDED

GREATLY TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF HUMAN KIND - NOT JUST WHITE RACES

– RACE AND INTELLIGENCE• IQ TESTS ARE PROBLEMATIC• INTELLIGENCE AND CULTURAL BIAS

Scientific Racism

• Herbert Spencer- – Social Darwinism—application

of Darwin’s theory to human society

– Coined term “survival of the fittest.”

Thomas Huxley

• “Darwin’s bulldog”• “It may be quite true that some negroes are better

than some white men; but no rational man, cognisant of the facts, believes that the average negro is the equal, still less the superior, of the average white man. And, if this be true, it is simply incredible that, when all his disabilities are removed, and our prognathous relative has a fair field and no favour, as well as no oppressor, he will be able to compete successfully with his bigger-brained and smaller-jawed rival, in a contest which is to be carried on by thoughts and not by bites. The highest places in the hierarchy of civilisation will assuredly not be within the reach of our dusky cousins, though it is by no means necessary that they should be restricted to the lowest.

The Effect of Scientific Racism… Progress depends on the survival of the fitter

race… A politician must insure that the fertility of the inferior stocks is checked, and that of the superior stocks encouraged; he must regard with suspicion anything that tempts the physically and mentally fitter men and women to remain childless… The path of progress is strewn with the wrecks of nations. Yet these dead people are, in very truth, the stepping stones on which mankind has arisen to the higher intellectual life of today…

-- Karl Pearson, British professor of mathematics and a Social Darwinist, in 1900

19TH Century Imperialism

Turn to the person next to you…

• How is race a “social construction?”

• What is Social Darwinism?

In America-- Chattel Slavery

• chat·tel n. [chat’ l]– An article of movable personal

property– A slave

The Middle PassageThe Middle Passage

Slave Ship PlanSlave Ship Plan

“Coffin” Position: Onboard a Slave Ship“Coffin” Position: Onboard a Slave Ship

Slave Ship InteriorSlave Ship Interior

Race & The Constitution

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

• Article I , Section 2, Clause 3– Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned

among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.

Back to Yali’s Question

“Why is it that you white people developed so much

cargo and brought it to New Guinea but we black people had little cargo of our own?”

_______________Why is there inequality in our

world?

IS IT BECAUSE OF RACE?