1: The Study of History and the Rise of Civilization
- Page ID
- 72150
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- 1.1: Splitting History
- This page explores the complexities of studying history, emphasizing the challenges historians face due to contemporary biases and the subjectivity of primary sources. It addresses the arbitrary nature of periodization in categorizing history and highlights the Western biases that often shape world history studies. World historians aim to unveil thematic patterns that reveal commonalities and differences across cultures, contributing to a more structured understanding of historical knowledge.
- 1.2: Dates and Calendars
- This page outlines the evolution of calendar systems, emphasizing the transition from ancient calendars like those of the Egyptians, Sumerians, and Greeks to the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It highlights Julius Caesar's reforms and Pope Gregory XIII's introduction of the Gregorian calendar in 1582 as the global standard, while noting the continued relevance of Islamic, Hindu, and Mayan calendars.
- 1.3: The Imperfect Historical Record
- This page highlights the importance of primary sources in historical research and the challenges posed by the imperfect historical record. While primary sources are vital for understanding the past, many are often lost or hard to access. Historians employ historical methods and collaborate with fields like archaeology to address these gaps. The text also notes that historical evidence is inherently subjective, influenced by the perspectives and contexts of its creators.
- 1.4: Historical Bias
- This page discusses the persistent bias in historical writing and teaching, particularly Eurocentric perspectives that overshadow diverse experiences. While early historians aimed for objectivity, biases grew in the 18th and 19th centuries, neglecting class, gender, and ethnicity until the rise of social history in the 1960s. History education has often promoted nationalism, although initiatives like Germany’s transnational curriculum seek to address these biases.
- 1.5: The Evolution of Humans
- This page discusses human evolution over seven million years, highlighting four key stages and the emergence of modern humans approximately 200,000 years ago. It involves the story of Neanderthals, who, despite having larger brains, went extinct after interbreeding with humans. Important adaptations included bipedalism, increased brain size, and reduced sexual dimorphism, influenced by theories like the savannah hypothesis and Toba catastrophe theory.
- 1.6: The Neolithic Revolution
- This page discusses the Neolithic Revolution, highlighting its transition from nomadic hunting to settled agriculture, its effects on population and social structures, and theories explaining this shift. It contrasts the health impacts of agricultural diets with those of hunter-gatherers.