CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY

• Continental Drift Theory states that all continents were once a large landmass that broke apart, and where the pieces moved slowly to their current locations.
• In 1912, Alfred Wegener, a German meteorologist proposed a theory 200 million years ago that the continents were once a large landmass.
• The one large landmass from the theory of Wegener is called pangaea
• Pangaea comes from a Greek word means All Earth.
• The Pangaea started to break into 2 supercontinents: Laurasia and Gondwanaland during Jurassic Period.
• Gondwanaland was composed of Africa, India, Madagascar, New Zealand, Australia, and South America.
• Laurasia was composed of North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Antarctica, and South America.
• Evidences that supports the continental drift theory: Continental Jigsaw puzzle, Fossils, Rocks, Coal Deposits.
• This evidence states that the edges of one continent matches the edge of another - Continental Jigsaw Puzzle
• Fossils - presented remains of organism from remote pass.
• Glossopteris plant is one that was found a fossil 250 million years ago.
• Mesosaurus and Lystrosaurus - freshwater reptiles that has fossils found in South America and Africa.
• Rock formation of Africa line up with that of South America
• Coal beds were formed from the compaction and decomposition of swamp plants.
• Permian - 250 million years ago
• Triassic - 200 million years ago
• Jurassic - 145 million years ago
• Cretaceous - 65 million years ago