Scientists had long suspected land as we know it had once been joined together. However, it wasn't until 1912 when a German meteorologist named Alfred Wegener proposed all continents had once been one big land mass. He named the super continent "Pangaea" meaning "all the earth." Wegener's theory of Continential Drift stated Pangea began to break apart approximately 225 million years ago. The smaller continents broke apart, plowed through the ocean over millions of years, then smacked into others creating the seven continents we know today.

The theory of Continential Drift was based upon some pretty convincing data. First, the continent of Africa and South America looked like they used to fit together like puzzle pieces. Secondly, matching plant and animal fossils were found on the coastlines of continents thousands of miles apart. Plant and animal fossils were found to exist in regions where those species do not live today. This suggested the land had been able to sustain that life at one point in its history but had changed somehow. Likewise, similar rock formations and types were found in different parts of the world. Finally, Wegener found ancient coal and glacier deposits on continents were these deposits should not exist.