Take a look into the past of Rancho La Brea by exploring the paleontological excavations, the uses of asphalt by different cultures, modern scientific research, and the theories of Ice Age extinction.

While reading this section try to answer the following questions and define the terms below:

Ice Age Investigation:

• What kinds of changes were taking place in North America as the Ice Age was ending?
• What were the causes of extinction in southern California during the last Ice Age? How were the Ice Age extinctions different from what happened to the dinosaurs 65 million years ago?
  
• How did Native Americans use the asphalt?
  
• In what ways has the land of Rancho La Brea been used?
  
• What does the Page Museum laboratory do with fossils?
  
• Are fossils still being found? Why?

La Brea Vocabulary:

• Extinction
  
• Matrix
  
• Laboratory
  
• Paleontology
  
• Excavation
  
• Research
  
• Fossil Preparation

Begin