Post on 15-Feb-2016
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Pangaea and Continental Drift
• In 1915, Alfred Wegner, came up with the theory of “Continental Drift.” He believed that Earth’s crust drifted slowly on top of a liquid core.
• He hypothesized that Earth was one super continent that he called Pangaea.
• Pangaea means “All Land”
• Wegner also proposed that Pangaea first broke into 2 large land masses, Laurasia and Gondwanaland.
• These two continents would continue to be broken apart over time.
• Fossil evidence also supports this theory. Tropical plants have been found in coal deposits in Antarctica.
• Today’s theory of Plate Tectonics is a more complete picture that includes evidence that the continents have moved and are still moving
Evidence for Continental Drift
• Go to p. 277-278 in book. Write the different clues for evidence of Pangaea.
• Fossil clues• Widespread plant clues• Climate clues• Rock clues