1. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Reconstructing the ancient arrangement of the
continents requires
paleomagnetic
paleoclimatic
geochronologic
tectonic
sedimentologic
biogeographic fossil data.

2. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleomagnetic
data

3. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleomagnetic data

4. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleomagnetic data

5. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleomagnetic data

6. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleomagnetic data
Paleomagnetic evidence provides information on the
latitude at which the rocks formed.
The orientation of the continent can be determined
from the direction to the paleomagnetic pole, as
recorded by bits of iron in the rock.
Longitudes, however, cannot be determined (which
accounts for some of the differences in the
paleogeographic reconstructions).

7. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleoclimatic data
Using rock types
paleoclimate can be
determined

8. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleoclimatic data
Paleoclimatic evidence comes from environmentally-
sensitive sedimentary rock types:
Glacial deposits

9. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleoclimatic data
Paleoclimatic evidence comes from environmentally-
sensitive sedimentary rock types:
Coal swamp deposits

10. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleoclimatic data
Paleoclimatic evidence comes from environmentally-
sensitive sedimentary rock types:
Reef carbonates

11. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleoclimatic data
Paleoclimatic evidence comes from environmentally-
sensitive sedimentary rock types:
Evaporites

12. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleoclimatic data
Paleoclimatic evidence comes from environmentally-
sensitive sedimentary rock types:
Evaporites

13. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Ice House vs. Hot House

14. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
LATE NEOPROTEROZOIC PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Gondwanaland
Laurentia
Baltica
Siberia

15. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
LATE NEOPROTEROZOIC PALEOGEOGRAPHY

16. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
LATE NEOPROTEROZOIC PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Late Proterozoic Glaciation (Ice House)

17. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
CAMBRIAN PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Cambrian
named after Cambria, latin for Wales
named by Adam Sedgewick (1830’s)

18. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
CAMBRIAN PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Continents have
moved off poles
Glaciers have
melted
Sea level rising
Epeiric seas begin
to develop

19. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
CAMBRIAN PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Global temperatures
warm
Formation of
Iapetus Ocean
(proto-Atlantic)
Ouachita Trough
begins to develop
Ouachita
Trough

20. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
CAMBRIAN PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Early Cambrian

21. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
CAMBRIAN PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Early Cambrian
Shallow seas cover many continents
Evaporite rocks deposited near equator

22. EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTS
CAMBRIAN
PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Development of a shallow epeiric or
epicontinental sea
Continent situated on the equator,
so waters most likely warm
Significant carbonate deposits
accumulate
Deep water sediments (shales) are
accumulating on margins