Big history

Big HistoryBig History

By: Josh By: Josh KessnerKessner

History History 140140

Professor Professor ArguelloArguello

Big HistoryBig History

Big History is a field of study Big History is a field of study that takes history as a whole that takes history as a whole across the longest time frame across the longest time frame possible.possible.

With big history, we relate With big history, we relate common themes from as far common themes from as far back as the Big Bang to brand back as the Big Bang to brand new uprising technology in new uprising technology in today’s society.today’s society.

Big history involves biology, Big history involves biology, astronomy, anthropology, astronomy, anthropology, cosmology, natural history, cosmology, natural history, population and environmental population and environmental studies, which all further prove studies, which all further prove how collective and relative the how collective and relative the information provided has information provided has proven to be.proven to be.

The Way We AreThe Way We Are

The main point within this film is that we see what our The main point within this film is that we see what our knowledge tells us we see.knowledge tells us we see.

The more we learn about different ideas, the more we The more we learn about different ideas, the more we understand them and our perception is constantly changing understand them and our perception is constantly changing depending on the new information.depending on the new information.

With this common idea in mind as a nation, we are inclined With this common idea in mind as a nation, we are inclined to defend this idea. This idea that we have is “freedom” and to defend this idea. This idea that we have is “freedom” and we will go to extreme measures to defend our view simply we will go to extreme measures to defend our view simply because we think our vision is the best.because we think our vision is the best.

Everything that has Everything that has happened in the past has led happened in the past has led up to our current up to our current advancements because we advancements because we keep on adding to our keep on adding to our knowledgeknowledge

We are insatiably curious We are insatiably curious and we never stop asking and we never stop asking questions, which leads us to questions, which leads us to discover answers, but even discover answers, but even more questions.more questions.

We’ve institutionalized this We’ve institutionalized this curiosity and we are curiosity and we are constantly constantly changing/inventing products changing/inventing products that change the way we do that change the way we do things.things.

The Way We Are The Way We Are

The Way We AreThe Way We Are

We’ve been committed by We’ve been committed by Greek origins to a life of Greek origins to a life of asking questions.asking questions.

Scientific Research leads Scientific Research leads to our constant change.to our constant change.

The way that we view the The way that we view the world is a modified view world is a modified view that comes from the past.that comes from the past.

The change that initiated The change that initiated the beginning of the beginning of questioning life, was questioning life, was people looking into a people looking into a crystal ball. crystal ball.

The Journey of ManThe Journey of Man

The Journey of Man, the question arises of how The Journey of Man, the question arises of how human beings have developed across this entire human beings have developed across this entire planet.planet.

Originating in Africa they must have endured Originating in Africa they must have endured many harsh environments, migrating across many harsh environments, migrating across rivers, coastlines, mountain ranges, all the while rivers, coastlines, mountain ranges, all the while enduring some of the most dangerous weather.enduring some of the most dangerous weather.

A research scientist follows in their footsteps to A research scientist follows in their footsteps to discover the route they had takendiscover the route they had taken


Originating in Africa, we have Originating in Africa, we have traced our ancestors by tracing the traced our ancestors by tracing the y-chromosome, the chromosome y-chromosome, the chromosome found in males, all the way back to found in males, all the way back to the San Bushmen tribe.the San Bushmen tribe.

This tribe is the closest This tribe is the closest descending group to our descending group to our ancestors.ancestors.

They discovered a way to create They discovered a way to create bows and arrows using tiny bows and arrows using tiny sharpened bones to use for sharpened bones to use for hunting and protection. hunting and protection.

Culture was created here, but Culture was created here, but Africa was only the beginning and Africa was only the beginning and our ancestors were very curious, our ancestors were very curious, venturing to many different places.venturing to many different places.


Dr. Spencer Wells had adventured Dr. Spencer Wells had adventured from the heart of Africa to the far from the heart of Africa to the far eastern parts of Russia, Australia, eastern parts of Russia, Australia, India, and many places on his India, and many places on his search to discover how we all search to discover how we all relate to the early San Bushmen relate to the early San Bushmen tribe.tribe.

Every race today on the planet Every race today on the planet had all originated from the same had all originated from the same tribe and we have discovered all tribe and we have discovered all landscapes on the planet. landscapes on the planet.

It is amazing to see how much It is amazing to see how much variation in the facial features we variation in the facial features we see amongst the majority of see amongst the majority of populations exists, yet we all have populations exists, yet we all have come from the same common come from the same common ancestor. All traced by a simple y-ancestor. All traced by a simple y-chromosome that has been chromosome that has been passed down for many years.passed down for many years.

CatastropheCatastrophe Within this film, we Within this film, we

discover an event that discover an event that occurred around 535 AD occurred around 535 AD and it was discovered by and it was discovered by the rings on trees.the rings on trees.

We notice a dramatic We notice a dramatic change in between these change in between these rings that infer a very rings that infer a very hard time to grow and hard time to grow and how difficult any sort of how difficult any sort of agriculture or harvest agriculture or harvest may have been possible.may have been possible.

CatastropheCatastrophe

This disaster that had occurred was a world wide affair.This disaster that had occurred was a world wide affair. Everywhere on earth it was proven that it was incredibly difficult for crops to Everywhere on earth it was proven that it was incredibly difficult for crops to

grow and there have been writings and documentation of these difficult grow and there have been writings and documentation of these difficult times.times.

After questioning what it could possibly be that could cause such a After questioning what it could possibly be that could cause such a monumental occurrence, researches discovered it must’ve been Krakatoa monumental occurrence, researches discovered it must’ve been Krakatoa with an enormous volcanic explosion.with an enormous volcanic explosion.

The reason being behind this is because volcanic dust is so incredibly fine, The reason being behind this is because volcanic dust is so incredibly fine, that even a baby’s breath would allow it to dwindle in the air for as long as that even a baby’s breath would allow it to dwindle in the air for as long as their was a flow of wind.their was a flow of wind.

Guns, Germs, and SteelGuns, Germs, and Steel

Written by Jared Diamond, this book discusses the gain of power and Written by Jared Diamond, this book discusses the gain of power and control over others without any of it being due to intelligence or genetics. control over others without any of it being due to intelligence or genetics.

The argument is that gaps in power between societies originated in The argument is that gaps in power between societies originated in environmental differences, and the fact that Eurasia gained an early environmental differences, and the fact that Eurasia gained an early advantage because of the availability of plant and animal, allowed for there advantage because of the availability of plant and animal, allowed for there primary advancement.primary advancement.

This is contrasted with Native American farmers who had very low This is contrasted with Native American farmers who had very low opportunity since their food they had to plant one by one, with minimal opportunity since their food they had to plant one by one, with minimal nutrients, automatically put them at a disadvantage.nutrients, automatically put them at a disadvantage.

The World and TradeThe World and Trade With the beginning of civilization With the beginning of civilization

currency wasn’t even a thought in the currency wasn’t even a thought in the minds of the peopleminds of the people

What they wanted to do was trade their What they wanted to do was trade their goods for that of somebody else’s, goods for that of somebody else’s, attaining other goods for their attaining other goods for their necessitiesnecessities

With the mass amounts of goods being With the mass amounts of goods being developed, different cultures sought developed, different cultures sought different remedies from each of them.different remedies from each of them.

For Example, cocoa was considered to For Example, cocoa was considered to be a stimulant and intoxicant, amongst be a stimulant and intoxicant, amongst many other things. Sugar and tobacco many other things. Sugar and tobacco were also one of the main contenders were also one of the main contenders in trade.in trade.

Potatoes were very important and Potatoes were very important and traded widely across nations. Although traded widely across nations. Although there were many benefits of trade, it there were many benefits of trade, it also brought disease to somealso brought disease to some

Technology

Big history