Taxonomy organizes the diversity of life to facilitate its study. The current
classification system reflects the evolutionary relationships among living things.

Supporting Ideas:
1. Taxonomy classifies living things into a number of successively smaller, more
exclusive groups. In the binomial nomenclature, a classification system
developed by Linnaeus, the species is the basic taxonomic unit.
2. Many factors can be used to determine the classification of organisms: fossil
record, biomolecular comparison, homologous structures, modes of nutrition, and
patterns of development.
3. There are presently six kingdoms: two of which are prokaryotic kingdoms
(Archaebacteria and Eubacteria) and four of which are eukaryotic kingdoms
(Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia).
4. Archaebacteria and Eubacteria are classified according to differences in their
DNA and their cell wall structure and habitat.
5. Protista are characterized as either unicellular or colonial eukaryotes.
6. Fungi are characterized as multicellular heterotrophic eukaryotes with cell walls
made of chitin.
7. The Plantae kingdom is composed of multicellular autotrophic eukaryotes with a
cellulose cell wall.
8. Multicellular heterotrophic eukaryotes are placed in the Animalia kingdom.