World History in Context Essay - 1160 Words

Rebecca Nichols HIS 140 – A History of Humanity Essay 1 World History in Context, written by David Christian (2003), questions the context of world history as well as the complexity of human history and the societies with which they live. In Christian’s article he argues that looking at world history in its global context, rather than one specific moment in history, is the way it is intended to be interpreted and allows historians to recognize reoccurring patterns and themes. World history is meant to be an unbiased account of only one specific species, humans (Christian 2003, 437-438). Historians often struggle with this challenging topic and tend to produce works extremely biased, usually towards stable ‘western civilizations’ and†¦show more content†¦Though more complex, they are also more fragile and rare because the consumption of large energy flows is a challenging task (McNeill 2003, 319-320). For example, the colossal increase in size of the human brain over the past four million years has left us with the most complex structure in the universe, consuming the largest amount of energy proportionate to its size (Ponting 2000, 24). ‘The brain consumes twenty percent of the energy necessary for the body but only accounts for two percent of its body mass’ (Christian 2003, 455). This statistic clarifies doubt that the brain is anything other than an energy-hoarding structure, just as others of similar complexity. Human societies have also evolved from simple structures of early hunting-and-gathering communities to the more complex cosmopolitan cities of today. The hunting-and-gathering communities were fairly simple societies demanding the minimum of resources. Complexity grew with farming communities and more energy was necessary to sustain the larger populations and the demands of a stable, non-nomadic life. Early civilizations saw an increase in complexity with the introduction of specialization and trade. Which, again, required more energy to sustain even larger communities. Cultural evolution has evolved so much that cities today are only possible because of humans’ ability to control energy by the movement of food across large distances to easily accessible locations (McNeill 2003, 320-321).Show MoreRelatedSocial And Anti Colonial Movements1374 Words   |  6 PagesHistory is always taking this different perspective throughout early civilization to modern day. Whether it has bee n a rise of a nation, a significant battle/event, or the signing of peace treaty historians have always taken different approaches to explain the event. However, few historians have acknowledge the importance of the international view is critical to understanding history as a whole. Furthermore, historian Thomas Bender argues that being specific will obscures the world impact on theRead MoreFor This Assignment, I Visited The Veteran’S Museum On1104 Words   |  5 Pagesthe wars the United States has been actively involved in since the United States became a country and highlights the contributions Wisconsin natives have made in these wars. The special exhibit at the museum when I visited was an expansion of their World War I exhibit. Information at the museum was mainly conveyed through displays of artifacts and replications of items and plaques describing items and events. There were brief videos at some of the exhibits, but not all. While viewing exhibits inRead MoreThe Holocaust : A More Perfect Union1060 Words   |  5 PagesWe the people, in order to form a more perfect union Devan Shanker Mr. Perry Modern European History per 3 Although many recognize the Holocaust as one of the most catastrophic genocides in history, few acknowledge its underlying causes. 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The attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor was the last straw that led to the United States joining World War II as part of the Allied Power. The bombing was in reaction to many economic sanctions that were placed on Japan, so the bombing was not just to make the United States mad.Read MoreIs Renaissance Music Influential?1222 Words   |  5 Pageswhich different instruments or voices play the same tune at different times (â€Å"Canon†), have been used in many pieces of music throughout history. One of the most recognizable canons of all time is the Canon and Gigue in D Major, or as it’s often referred to as, Pachelbel s Canon. Cantus firmi have a lso been used in many pieces that have been written throughout history. Modest Mussorgsky used a cantus firmus in the final movement of Pictures at an Exhibition, The Great Gate of Kiev. 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