How did scientists classify things in the past?

Answer 1

Using the taxonomy.

It follows this:

Domain

Kingdom

Phylum

Class

Order

Family

Genus

Species

Easy way to remember this: Doesn't King Philip Come Over For Good Soup?

This will help you keep them in order by using the first letter of each word to match up.

Answer 2

Carolus Linnaeus (originally Carl von Linne) was the originator of the hierarchical (Linnaean) classification system that is now the baseline of taxonomy. A classification system and a naming system, of course, existed prior to Linnaeus. Obviously one can tell a bird from a butterfly from an ant from a flowering plant from a fish from a frog. But that does not necessarily arrange living organisms usefully. It may not be clear, from this primitive classification, how frogs are related to fish or salamanders, or indeed how similar salamanders and frogs are at all and how sensible it would be to group them together. The concept of 'relationship' was alien at the time (1700's) as most people accepted the myth of Genesis as the literal truth. So, it was by similarity, that Linnaeus grouped organisms. Also, Latin naming was exhausting, with multiple Latin descriptive epithets for each and every organism. It was far more time-saving and attractive to name an organism by a two-word name, a binomial, which Linnaeus invented. From multiple, exhaustive epithets, the Latin name was dropped down to two parts for species (or three parts for subspecies). Orcinus orca, Gallus gallus, Protea repens and Apis mellifera are all binomials, far shorter and easier to handle than the original exhaustive names.

The concept of genus (the first part of the Latin name) gives a clue as to the grouping tendency of Linnaeus. Similar species were grouped into a genus, beginning the grouping tendency and use of classification. Linnaeus invented higher taxa too, such as Family and Kingdom and published his work in several editions of Systema Naturae. He classified and named 12000 organisms in total, thought himself the best botanist in the world and may have had Asperger Syndrome, giving him the concentration needed to concentrate through 12000 examinations of different species.

Answer 3

In the past, scientists classified things based on observable characteristics such as shape, size, color, and behavior. They used a system of taxonomy to group organisms into categories based on similarities and differences, eventually leading to the development of the modern classification system.

Answer 4

There are many ways in which a scientist can classify something. A scientist could classify something by what it looks like.

Answer 5

On their physical characteristics and presumed natural relationships

Answer 6

i don't know i want to know too

Answer 7

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