Final answer:
Homo erectus evolved in Africa and spread throughout the world over hundreds of thousands of years, reaching various regions such as North Africa, the Near East, Europe, and Asia. They adapted to different environments and gave rise to other human species.
Step-by-step explanation:
Homo erectus first evolved about 1.9 million years ago in East Africa. From there, they migrated to Eurasia and eventually went extinct about 800,000 years ago. They likely spread throughout the world over hundreds of thousands of years, reaching North Africa, the Near East, Europe, and East and South Asia.
During their migration, Homo erectus stayed close to rivers and lakes, hunting and eating animals like rhinoceroses, bears, pigs, and crocodiles. They adapted to different environmental conditions and eventually gave rise to other human species such as Homo heidelbergensis, Homo neanderthalensis, Denisovans, and Homo sapiens.
It is still debated why Homo erectus migrated extensively, but factors like climate change and following certain types of prey likely played a role.