Final answer:
The evolution of hominins before 2 million years ago primarily occurred in Africa, with species like Homo erectus migrating out of Africa and spreading to Eurasia. The Americas were settled by modern humans considerably later, starting roughly eighteen thousand years ago.
Step-by-step explanation:
The evolution of hominins before 2 million years ago took place in Africa. Archaeological and fossil records indicate that our early human ancestors originated from this continent and eventually migrated to Eurasia, including areas such as Europe and Asia. An important species in this migration was Homo erectus, which is believed to have evolved in East Africa around 1.9 million years ago before spreading to other regions. Significant hominin settlement outside of Africa, such as in Java, which is part of present-day Indonesia, dates back between 1.3 and 1.6 million years ago. The migration out of Africa and subsequent interbreeding with species like the Neanderthals were crucial steps in the global dispersal of early humans, with the exception of the Americas, which were populated much later, beginning around eighteen thousand years ago.