Transcript The 5 Era`s of Human Existancex

The 5 Era’s of Human Existence
Prehistoric
Dates back to the first Hominids, 2,000,0000
years ago.
Is divided into 3, unequal periods or “Ages”
Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic which are mean
Old, Middle and New Stone Age.
These take up most of the duration of human
existence , that is most of man’s time on earth
was spent in the Prehistoric.
Prehistoric
Paleolithic
In all of them, small, nomadic populations
pursued a single life-style or economy:
Hunting and Gathering.
Life expectancy was extremely short, 25 was old
age and many did not reach it.
All tools and weapons were made of stone,
bone or wood and clothing, if any, was of
animal skins.
Prehistoric
Mesolithic
About 12,000 years ago, some, but not all,
prehistoric men began to domesticate and
keep animals for food, hides, and
transportation. Domestication of animals and
herding is what distinguishes the Mesolithic
from the Paleolithic. The Middle Stone Age
from the Old Stone Age. It did not happen
everywhere and in some places never
happened.
Prehistoric
Neolithic
About 8,000 years ago, an even more important
change occurred . In a few areas of Africa, and
Asia, some men, or more likely women,
discovered that food could be produced by
planting, cultivating and harvesting in addition
to being gathered from the wilds.
This Neolithic Revolution was the invention of
Agriculture which transforms the world.
Culture becomes Civilization.
6000 BC-1450 BC
Earliest Civilizations
• In Africa and Asia the River Valley Civilizations
based on agriculture develop. Nile, TigrisEuphrates, Indus, Ganges, Mekong, Huang
(Yellow) rivers.
• None in Europe or the America’s.
• Expanded sedentary populations
• Advanced Technologies
• Government and Religion
• Writing
1450 BC-476 AD
Classical European Civilizations
• Civilizations rise in Europe.
• Minoan Civilization on Crete destroyed by
Thera volcano.
• Greeks gain independence and build 1st
European Civilization.
• Common Culture, separate city-states, great
sense of independence. Polytheism,
Pantheism.
• Monarchy gives way to Democracy.
Classical Era
Greece
• Persian War saves the West from tyranny.
• Athens and Sparta vie for leadership and
eventually go to war (Peloponnesian War) which
destroys both.
• Philip and Alexander of Macedon pick up the
pieces and establish the Hellenistic Empire in
Eastern Europe, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia and
India
• Following death of Alexander the Empire divides.
Classical Era
Rome
• Rise of Roman Civilization after 753 B.C.
• A minor farming village it expanded through
central Italy. Gains independence from
Etruscans. Abolishes monarchy.
• Rivalry with Carthage, in North Africa, led to the
Punic Wars and the creation of a Roman Empire.
• System of government based on elected
representatives, a Republic, eventually replaced
by dynastic emperors.
Classical Era
Rome
• The Empire spread to include most of Europe,
Egypt and North Africa, and Western Asia as far
as the Persian Gulf.
• Its territory included Judea, where the population
of Jews practiced Monotheism.
• Here, during the reign of the 1st Emperor,
Augustus, Christ was born. The religion he
established, Christianity, spread through the
empire and, by the 4th century A.D., became the
official religion.
476 AD-1350 AD
Medieval ERA
• The Roman Empire declined due to internal
crises:
– overexpansion of boundaries
– Economic decline
– internal corruption and poor leadership
– lead poisoning and declining birth rate
And to external invasion by the barbarian tribes
including the Germanic Goths, Vandals, Franks,
Angles and Saxons.
The Roman Empire divides and collapses. 476 A.D./
1453 A.D.
476 AD-1350 BC
Medieval Era-Dark Ages
• From 476 AD to 800 AD Western Europe
experienced a Dark Age.
• The Catholic Church was the only surviving
institution of Rome.
• Feudalism, Manorialism and Chivalry replaced
Imperial Rule, a diverse economy and the
legions of infantry.
• Islam began its rise in Western Asia and North
Africa, by 711 AD it had reached Spain.
476 AD-1350 AD
Medieval Era
• In 800 AD the High Middle Ages began with the
crowning of Charlemagne, King of the Franks as
the Holy Roman Emperor. An attempt was made
to re-establish the Roman Empire. It failed, but
the dream remained alive and European
Civilization began to flourish.
• Cities remerged and trade began to develop.
Universities were established. Gothic Cathedrals
were built. In 1095, a crusade was launched to
regain control of the Holy Land from the
Moslems. Trade with Africa and Asia increased.
End of The Medieval Era
• The crusades were ultimately unsuccessful
but they did promote more external trade
and increased the wealth of Europe. They
also helped destroy the systems of small
states, local economies and power of
mounted horsemen which had been
established in the Dark Ages.
• They also led, indirectly, to the Black Death,
which would help trigger the Modern Era.
1350 AD to Present
The Modern Era
• 14th Century cities were crowded and unsanitary.
Few people bathed and fleas were taken for
granted. Rats swarmed through the streets and
were taken for granted.
• In 1347, cargoes from East Asia, infested with
fleas carrying Pasteurella Pestis (Plague) reached
Genoa in Italy. The cargoes and the fleas infested
the local vermin and were carried by merchants
throughout Europe. Within 3 years, 1/3 of the
population of Europe was dead.
The Modern Era
• Since no one knew that germs carried by infected
fleas caused the plague, no one could treat it, or
explain it, although many theories were raised, all
of which were wrong.
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Influence of the stars and planets--influenza.
Poisonous vapors from the earth—Miasma.
Bad odors from all the garbage and unwashed bodies.
God’s judgement on an sinful world.
Malicious attacks by the Jews against the Christians.
The Modern Era
• The Plague would burn itself out, when
enough deaths reduced the population of the
disease itself. It would re-ignite repeatedly
until the 17th century.
• Eventually improved sanitation broke the link
between people and plague carrying vectors.
• “Ring around the Rosy” describes the plague
in a 17th century nursery rhyme.
The Modern Era
• About 1/3 of the population died.
• Every group was effected, nobles and
peasants, rich and poor, young and old,
religious and secular, Christian and Jew.
• Whole families and entire villages died.
• Trade was disrupted, farms were abandoned,
economic decline began.
But Then…
The Modern Era
• Survivors mourned their dead, but continued
to live.
• The wealth of the dead was divided by the
living.
• Workers demanded and received higher
wages in the face of the labor shortage and
standards of living improved.
• Towns became cleaner and so harbored fewer
rats and fleas.
The Modern Era
• Most Importantly, the Black Death brought about
a profound change in the outlook of Western
man.
• Having confronted the apparent beginning of
human extinction, men decided to improve the
present world while they could.
• The “Here and Now” now emerged as equally
important with the “Hereafter” of their religious
belief. Faith was not abandoned but Hope for a
better future was discovered. The Modern Era
had arrived.