Transcript No Slide Title

Introduction to World History
HM: The Problem of Evidence
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Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Bias
HM: The Problem of Objectivity
• Source Bias
• Historian Bias
• Is Objective History Possible?
HM: The Problem of Causation
• Great Men?
• Impersonal Forces
HM: The Problem of Motives
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Deciphering Witness Statements
Lack of Witness Statements
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Economic vs. Idealistic
The Stone Age: 1-2 Million BC
to 3,500 BC
Paleolithic: 1-2 Million BC to 10,000 BC
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Humans become Human
Hunter-Gatherer Lifestyle
Mesolithic: 10,000 BC to 6,000 BC
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Humans begin to domesticate animals and plants
Better tools
Neolithic: 7,000 BC to 3,500 BC
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Agriculture begins
First villages and towns; Civilization begins
The Bronze Age: 3,500 BC to
1200 BC
Early Bronze Age (c.3500-2000 BC)
– Metalworking begins
– Age of the City-State
Middle Bronze Age (c.2000-1600 BC)
– Nomadic tribes gain bronze and challenge the
urban civilizations
Late Bronze Age (c.1600-1200 BC)
– Society now develops to incorporate large,
powerful kingdoms with sophisticated
bureaucracies able to rule over large areas and
coordinate powerful trade networks.
Iron Age: 1200-500 BC
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Ironworking now predominates
Barbarians ravage Bronze Age States
Rise of Large Scale Empires
Age of Agricultural Empires (500
BC – 1789 AD)
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Human society dominated by Agriculture
Empires exist, limited by communications
and terrain
The Malthusian Cycle dominates
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Growth: More land than people
Apogee: Just enough land for everyone
Decline: Too many people, not enough
land, corruption, war, famine, death,
destruction