Chapter 2—Utah history

Geological Era’s

Introduction

• A. Divisions of time in the earth’s history

– Based largely on events that change the earth’s crust.

• Formation of mountain ranges

• Formation of plateaus

– Based also on plants and animal life

– Era’s are divided in periods such as Jurassic.

Tab 1: Precambrian

• B. 4.6 BYA (Billion Years ago)—570 MYA (Million Years ago).–Earliest known era.–85 % of all geological time–Precambrian Era in Utah

• Rocks dating to this time period were found on Antelope Island.

Paleozoic

• C. 570 MYA—240 MYA–Nickname, “Ancient Life”–Produced the beginning of fossil fuel

(Coal, Oil and Natural Gas)• Formed from remains of decaying plants and animals.

• Fossil Fuels found in Carbon county and the Uintah Basin

Mesozoic

• D. 240 MYA—65 MYA

–Nickname: Middle Life

–Associated with dinosaurs

• Roamed in Utah

• Deposits found in Jensen, Vernal and Price.

–Rocky Mountains began to form.

Cenozoic• 65 MYA—Present

– Nickname: Recent Life– Earth’s surface takes recognizable shape.– Mammals replace dinosaurs– Climate cools

• Several Ice Ages• Utah not covered with ice, but glaciers were in the mountains.• When the ice melted, oceans rise and cover many land areas• Great Lakes covered by glaciers• Lake Bonneville is a remnant of the Ice Age

– Human beings live here at the end of the period.

Utah State Symbols

• Rock- Coal

• Gem- Topaz

• Mineral-Copper

• Dinosaur- Allosaurus

Animals discovered in Utah

• Mammoth, Bison, Giant Camel, Sabor-Tooth Tiger, Sloth, Musk, Ox, Cave Bears.

• Some ice age animals were found near Huntington Reservoir

Dinosaurs

• First dinosaur bones were found in 1859

• First dinosaur found in Utah was in Moab in 1987

• Most dinosaurs were found in the Morrison Formation

Dinosaurs in Utah

CARNIVORES HERBIVORES

Allosaurus Brontosaurus

UTAH Raptor Stegosaurus

Tyrannosaurus Camptosaurus

Dinosaurs in Utah

• Utah Raptor- Dinosaur only found in Utah!– Fossil found in 1992 at Arches

National Park– Skeleton- 20 feet long and 8 feet

high!