Course Description

Historical geology introduces theories on the origin of the earth, oceans, atmosphere, paleogeography, and life as determined in the fossil and stratigraphic rock record during the past 4.6 billion years. Subjects include the minerals and rocks, plate tectonics, geologic dating, fossils, stratigraphy, biological evolution, the origin of planet Earth, and environment of deposition of rock formations. With the background of geologic principles, the development of the North American continent is introduced in detail.