Others, including head and body shape, height, skin color, and facial hair, vary significantly. Native American men from Pacific Coast tribes, for example, often have heavy facial hair while other Native American men have none. This drawing from an 1889 American text on human history illustrates the kinds of stereotypical racial classifications common in 1800s Europe and America. All people were thought to belong to one of these races and most authorities believed that these physical differences also implied differences in intelligence, abilities, and general merit as human beings. This attitude is illustrated by the following quote from the 1800s.
Racism does exist.
Skull measurements, for example, vary widely not only within communities but even during a person's lifetime. Human populations are not unambiguous, clearly demarcated, biologically distinct groups. These facts render any attempt to establish lines of division among biological populations both arbitrary and subjective. Measuring Differences Overall genetic variation among human groups is extremely small. This makes the study of small differences very important, and is why ancient human remains are measured and tested in an effort to learn more about how ancient groups might differ or be related.