This semester course is designed for students who have a sincere interest in developing an understanding of the early humans and their cultures. Students will examine how humans have evolved over time and space from hominids to inhabitants of early river valley civilizations (55 million years ago to 1500 BCE).  The expectation is that students will use historical reasoning processes such as comparison, causation, and continuity and change over time to enhance their understanding of history and increase their ability to recognize, analyze, and evaluate the dynamics of history.