Final answer:
Originally, hunting was thought to be the key driver of human evolution. Critiques of this view have pointed to the significant role of women in gathering as equally important.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea that hunting was a principal driver of human evolution is a hypothesis that has greatly influenced our understanding of early human societies. In the 1950s and '60s, the "man the hunter" hypothesis proposed that the activities associated with hunting were critical to the development of hominid species, giving rise to tool creation, larger brain sizes, and complex communication systems. However, recent critiques have emerged, suggesting that gathering performed by women contributed significantly to early human diets and survival, challenging the idea that hunting alone was the driving force.
Paleontological evidence shows that prehistoric peoples significantly impacted their environments and prey species through hunting, often leading to extinction events. This interaction with the environment and the subsequent need to adapt to diminishing food resources likely played a role in the evolution of human subsistence strategies. Yet, it is also evident that human evolution was not shaped solely by men's contribution through hunting; women's roles in gathering were essential to the development of hominid species.