How did bipedalism contribute to the physical and intellectual evolutiuon of the human race?

Question

How did bipedalism contribute to the physical and intellectual evolutiuon of the human race?

Answer 1

You have good answers already.

I might add the suggestion mentioned in something I read regarding the effect bipedalism might have had on the structure of the top of the skeleton and the lower skull allowing for a larger Larynx. This seems logical and as the voice box developed, more complex sounds were possible eventually, in less that three million years, rudimentary grunts and yelps began proto-language.

Just an idea.

Answer 2

There is no simple, easy answer to that question that can really be covered in less than at least a ten page essay - I suggest that you do your own homework.

Answer 3

Bi-pedalism freed up our hands to more efficiently carry things, as well as to actualize our mental impulses through the use of manual dexterity...

As we parted company with the knucklewalkers, we became free to implement our ideas with more precision using our hands...

The rest, is history!

Answer 4

Its not the human race, its the human species.

I read an essay about that once, maybe you can find it.  It was by Harvard Paleontologist Stephen J. Gould.  It was originally in a magazine he wrote for monthly, but was reprinted in one of his books.  Probably "The Panda's Thumb" or "Bully for Brontosaurus".

Answer 5

Walking on two legs made us taller. We were able to see over the high grass and run sooner when we saw hungry beasties that thought we were dinner. We also had our hands free to climb and carry.