1	"Cassie Strickland" Cassie Strickland, Columbia Basin College
2	What is Historical Geology? Geology: The study of the planet Earth materials of which it is made processes that act on these materials products formed history of the planet and its life forms since its origin Divided into Physical Geology Historical Geology
3	How will we Study Historical Geology? Basic Course Outline: Fundamental Concepts of Historical Geology Rate of Geologic Change Important theories & people Fossils & Evolution Geologic Time and Dating Methodologies Origin of Earth & Movement of Continents Time Periods in Detail: Archean, Proterozoic, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic
4	Time? How Much Time? Oldest meteorites and moon rocks ~4.6 billion years old Oldest rocks on Earth ~4.1-4.2 billion years old Zircon, from Jack Hills, Australia Jack Hills metaconglomerate, Enanondoo Hill, Jack Hils region, western Australia. Photos by SA Wilde.
5	What has happened to the Earth during this long period of time? meteorite impacts volcanic eruptions and lava flows mountain building earthquakes erosion slow movement of continents (plate tectonics) formation and destruction of ocean basins (plate tectonics) glaciations climatic changes Human effects (anthropogenic)
6	Earth has changed over time Catastrophic eruption of Mt. Thera; ~1650 B.C. ended Minoan culture Gradual current global warming is flooding coastal areas like Venice, Amsterdam
7	Rate of Change Varies Geologic change can be linear or non-linear Geologic change can be repetitive or non-repeating Periodic Episodic Non-repeating change
8	Views Change: Uniformitarianism vs. Catastrophism Catastrophism Dominated human beliefs until ~1850 Believed in 6,000 year old Earth Example: Old Testament Flood Uniformitarianism Considers episodic events like earthquakes normal and non-catastrophic Modern geology dates Earth to ~4.5 billion years of age Example: Daily water erosion process widens & deepens stream channel
9	Using Observation-based Science Principle of Uniformitarianism Scientific Method
10	End Intro lecture