Perspectives on World History

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Perspectives on World History
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• Fossil evidence shows that the earliest humans
  originated in Africa spread across the globe
• Why do we study prehistory and human origins?
• The study of early humans artifacts helps in
  understanding our place in human history

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What is the Scope of World History? Big
History

• Beginning of the Universe
• Big bang theory
• If we condense 13 billion years into 13 years . .
  .

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If the Universe began 13 years ago, then, at this
moment
5 years

• The earth would have existed for about
• Large organisms w/many cells for
• The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs would have
  landed
• Hominids (bipedal apes) would have existed for
• Our own species, Homo sapiens, for
• Agricultural societies would have existed for
• The entire recorded history of civilization for
• Modern industrial societies for

7 months
3 weeks ago
3 days
53 min.
5 minutes
3 minutes
6 seconds
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What is the scope of World History? Hominid
Existence

• Hominid gt
• Australopithecus
• Homo Habilis
• Homo Erectus
• Homo Sapien Neanderthal
• Four million years ago

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Perspective Hominid Existence

• Timeline of Hominid existence
• Graph paper 1 square 1000 years
• How many squares hominid existence?

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Perspective Hominid Existence

• Hominid existence 4000 squares!!!
• 55 squares / sheet so how many sheets of graph
  paper?
• 73 sheets!

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Perspective Ascent of Man

• Of the 73 sheets, how much represents
  non-hunter/gatherer man?
• Change called the Neolithic Revolution

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Perspective Population Growth

• Why do populations grow?

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Perspective Population Growth

• More energy consumption higher population rates!

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Why have Humans succeeded?

• To succeed, humans have been successful at
  harnessing large energy flows how?
• Adapting to the environment!
• Natural selection
• Learning
• Collective Learning

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Preview Crucial Points in History

• Human origin / collective learning process
• Neolithic Revolution
• Civilization
• Columbian Exchange
• Modern Era

The Columbian Exchange
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Human Origins
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Hominids creatures who walk uprightHominins
humans (excludes apes)
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Australopithecines (4 mill.-1 mill. BC)

• Southern ape
• Laetoli footprints
• Lucy in Ethiopia 3.5 million years old
• Brain size 500 cm3
• Opposable thumbs

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Australopithecus
Australopithecus africanus skull
Lucy skeleton
Australopithecus afarensis skull
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Homo habilis (2.5 mill.-1.5 mill. BC)

• Man of Skill
• Fossil in Olduvai Gorge disc. by Louis Mary
  Leakey
• 1st stone tools Oldowan tools
• Brain size 700 cm3

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Homo erectus (1.6 mill.-30,000 BC)

• Upright Man
• Intelligent, skillful hunters
• Migrated from Africa to Europe, India, China,
  Southeast Asia
• Fire, spoken language, sophisticated tools
• Brain size 1,000 cm3

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Homo sapiens (200,000 BC-present)

• Wise men
• Neanderthal (200,000-30,000 BC)
• - Religious beliefs morals
• - Adaptation to cold environments
• - Brain size 1,450 cm3
• - Slanted brows, well- developed muscles, and
  thick bones

• NOT direct ancestors of modern humans

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Cro-Magnon (40,000-8,000 BC)

• Specialized tools superior hunting strategies
• Spoken language
• Art
• Brain size 1,000 cm3
• Averaged 55 height

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Replacement v. Regional Continuity
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Hominid Craniums

• 1. Australopithecus afarensis
• 2. Australopithecus africanus
• 3. Homo habilis
• 4. Homo erectus
• 5. Neanderthal

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Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age)

• 2.5 million 8,000 BC
• Nomadic hunter-gatherers
• Stone, bone, wooden tools
• Artistic creations

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Neolithic Age (New Stone Age)

• Neolithic (Agricultural) Revolution shift to
  farming
• Possible causes
• - Rising temperatures
• - Large animals disappearing
• - Population increase need for food sources

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• Characteristics
• - Slash-and-burn farming
• - Domestication of animals
• Effects of Neolithic Revolution
• - Permanent settlements
• - Population growth
• - Specialization of workers
• - Diseases