It was surprising to learn...

that in chapter 2 - An Urban Revolution, it describes the transition from the Agricultural society to the Urban thriving mega-metropolis' in North, Central & South America. We are so used to reading how the Greeks designed astronomy, hydro architecture to water their fields and form a thoughtful and advanced civilization. To read that before the time of the Greeks, possibly thousands of years before Rome, the rise of the Ming dynasty that there were even more advancements happening in the Americas.

Knowing that the regions where the Aztec, Mayans, Incas and many more civilizations in the west cultivated art, music, science, the written manuscript shows the drive of every human. Evolution flourished in all parts of the world simultaneous, not in chronological order. For me, understanding history was linear in time, but I had associated it with written knowledge in our education system. It is marveling to see how diverse in the flourishment of other regions of the world were so advanced that we are still unable to determine how their systems of old were constructed, let alone support hundreds of thousands of millineals ago.

Keep in mind that before recorded history, vast cities, cultures and mega civilizations lived in an advanced state rivaling our current status of high-life. To have running water, complex tunneling systems for wealth distribution, and isolated sewage was something that did not happen in most of Europe for thousands of years later, is shocking to say the least. I re-watched one of my favorite time movies, Apocalypto to revisit this mega-metropolises to regain a taste of the ancients. It seems that our mother-earth has hidden many of her secrets which still dumbfound us today.

I was Disappointed to read that...

humans evolved from a Hunter Gather life thousands of years ago to grow to invent electricity and space flight whilst having less and less leisure time. The sections on Economy and the Environment discusses how Materialism has consumed our societies and caused us to work ourselves to not having enough leisure time. You mean, tens of thousands of years ago, they had more PTO!

It is ironic to think that once you have the basic living items completed, time for a break. We, today have the somehow even squeeze our two-15 minute breaks into our busy days. Yes, we have "more things", we are walking upright, and that we have the science to possibly extend our life!  And for what! To work even more and have less downtime. 

Social Media, our mentors, our society tells us to strive and somehow invent or find a way to freedom from our jobs, to be successful to a point of financial freedom. Knowing this fact on materialism, it seems to me that the hourglass of time has just been turned upside down. The smarter we become, the less time we have to live within all of these accomplishments isn't' that ironic.

I found it interesting to read that...

in the modern age (2020) there still is a civilization in Northern Tanzania today, that lives and survives in the same manner as ancient people from 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. Having a society that is actively fighting the agricultural way of life in which the rest of the world has adapted is shocking to say the least.

I do believe that our "return to our roots" behavior is inherent to humans seeking out to reenact our primal beginnings in the form of roughing it like camping, hiking, and backpacking. This is not to say that these outdoor sports are primal, but that they place us in a vulnerable scenario of ages past. The survival of the fittest is the best way of relating to the "Hunter and Gatherer" way of life.

TIMELINE

Cosmic à Paleolithic (Gaiac) àNeolithic àAncient àClassical àModern à Cosmic à Ecozoic

• Cosmic - The formation of the stars and cosmos
• Paleolithic (Gaiac) - Early humanoids lived in caves  (2.5 million to 10,000 B.C.)
• Neolithic - Stone Age (9,000 to 3,000 B.C. )
• Ancient -   Early Middle Ages: time of written history (3,000 to 400 AD)
• Classical - Medevil, Renaissance, Baroque (1100 to late 1800s)  
• Modern -  Age of electricity, atomic power, computer, phones (1900's to present day)
• Ecozoic - What is happening geologically at a certain time period 

Connecting the dots as we say is the best way to paint a picture of history. Creating a timeline with the type of individuals living in that time period begins to formulate what life was like during that period. Being able to show from where we came from to where we are going gives humans a grounding in self-identification. Progression and development are what have made the large contribution to shaping our future. This self-identification allows for a person or people relate to one another and the way we interact with one another.

https://www.ancient.eu/timeline/civilization/

Early Humans...

LUCY - is what scientists call the first and oldest form of the hominin species. Paleontologist said that she (Lucy) was an ape-like creature that was part of "The species Australopithecus afarensis inhabited East Africa more than three million years ago". A link between man and ape was shown to be from the earliest understanding of humans. A study of these beings allowed scientists to analyze human development and form a parallel in early childhood rearing and dependencies in the family or tribe hierarchy. 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/04/200403092009.htm

Let's see what Big History is all about...

What is Big History? The term Big History is something I did not grow up with. Other terms such as "Big Bang", "History of the world", and "In the beginning" are the more traditional and familiar phrases I have heard pertaining to human history.

Is this a new concept to you or have you heard of it before? Overall, this is not a new concept. In fact, this concept of human history has been taught before any modern inventions. As modernization came to be, it allowed for the formally written recording of this re-told human story.

Does it seem logical to you that history could be taught this way?  Yes, in researching what Big History means, the understanding of the past is a hard thing to do. With so many limitations that we as humans have had in the technology of the last century. I did find an article and project that summed up a direct and complementary way of learning what Big History is, "Big History examines our past, explains our present, and imagines our future. It's a story about us." (Cynthia Stokes Brown - https://www.bighistoryproject.com/home).

This simplified way of conveying a jammed pack theory to all is a better way for me to understand and relate to human history. This "relating" is what makes it personal to me which allows for me to be connected. What are we if not connected to history? We are just primordial ooze with no direction. And direction is what humans need and desire to make sense of something we are discovering.

From the Big bang to dinosaurs, walking upright to learning how to fly has inspired us all to strive for more knowledge. This drive that helps us learn from our history to under the future is inherent to us already, so why not teach in this manner.

The use of a timeline has greatly enhanced our delivery of periodic phases and the focus of a particular time to discuss in detail. There are three sources that have been added to help understand the clarity of the use of a timeline in a chronological order to help teach Big History in today's classes.


Big History: https://www.bighistoryproject.com/home

Smithsonian Institute:  https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-evolution-timeline-interactive

Graphic Illustration:  https://andreimarius.com/human-history-timeline 

PERSONAL MOTO

Introduction About Myself

Hola, my name is Carlos Diaz. My interest in World History comes from classroom projects where my mother helped us rebuild period scenes from our history books. Rebuilding an Aztec pyramid, to a Zulu village to molding the new Americas out of clay, the world jumped off the paper and into my imagination at an early age. Ever here of Mutal of Omaha or Jacque Osto? They were the tv shows that brought the world (onshore or beneath the seas) into our livingrooms well before there ever was a History or Discovery channel.

My parents are from Puerto Rico. I am originally from Miami, Florida. Not East Coast, Not Southern, Not US... barely.  😁  The 1970s were awkward, crazy, free-minded, and fantastic... remember roller skating rinks? During the 70s, the Cuban migration brought some life-changing activities into my life. From missile bombing drills in our classroom's every season to bright and colorful styles of clothing to South Florida. Tropical rhythm, hand-rolled cigars, mambo dancing, creating a vibrant spice of life to Miami that still holds strong today. MOJITO ANYONE?!  Have moved from east to west coast and now call my Pacific Standard timezone preferred location of San Francisco 🏠 home.   I am coming up on my mid-century point in my own personal history. I enjoy life daily, with friends, family, and especially with myself!

Enjoy traveling to somewhere new and trying things unexpectedly.