Historical Overview A Brief Tour over 15 billion years

Pre-History Big Bang—15 billion years ago pre-humans from 3 million years ago human development –increased cranial capacity –more sophisticated tools –hunting/gathering bands –mastery of fire –homo sapiens sapiens--80, ,000 years ago (Cro Magnon in Europe)

Neolithic Revolution Ground and polished tools domestication of animals/plants agriculture and plowing wheel for transportation Sumer, Nile, Yangtze, Mesoamercia, etc “most significant event in human development” 8000 BCE—agriculture; 3000 BCE—first cities in Sumer

Age of Empires Israelites—monotheism, ethical basis for society (1250 BCE—Hebrew exodus from Egypt) Iron Age begins ca BCE--allows improved tools, weapons, transport, plows increasing cultural interaction after 500 BCE

Classical Antiquity--the Greeks Greeks—philosophy, city-states, art/arch/lit, science Persian Wars--turning point (480 BCE— battle of Salamis) 5th century Athens (Golden Age) Peloponnesian War ( BCE)--leads to decline of Hellenic Age and Greek independence (lack of unity) Alexander and Hellenistic Age (323 BCE)

Classical Antiquity--the Romans Importance of Rome--law, engineering, political unity, architecture, Latin Roman Republic (509 BCE)—gradually conquers rivals (not a deliberate plan) Punic Wars v. Carthage conquest of Greeks (spread Greek ideas) civil turmoil and civil war (2nd/1st c. BCE)

The Roman Empire 30 CE—Jesus crucified and approx. beginning of empire Five Good Emperors (96-180) provide peace and stability--Pax Romana 3rd and 4th century crisis--economic collapse, political instability, plague, demographic problems, invasions 313—Constantine and Edict of Toleration 476—fall of western Empire (Byzantine)

Early Middle Ages, “Dark Ages”—decline of cities, trade, monasteries, insecurity, invasion rise of Islam (632—Mohammed dies) temporary revival under Carolingians (Charlemagne crowned in 800) invasions—Saracens, Vikings, Magyars--in 9th century (collapse of Carolingian) development of feudalism (stirrup)

High Middle Ages, Spread of Christianity geographically and culturally (987—Vladimir converts) Europe begins to expand (1095—first Crusade—trade, cultural exchange) medieval synthesis—Scholasticism, Gothic architecture, Latin, feudalism, nation/states, Catholic Church (papacy), technology 12th century Renaissance a “key” age in development of W Civ.

Later Middle Ages, th century crisis—famine, plague, war, religious division 1348—Black Death--killed up to 40% of Euorpe’s population--crucible of change breakdown of High Medieval Synthesis 1453—fall of Constantinople (last link with Rome), printing press, end of 100 Years War

Renaissance and Reformation “rebirth of classical culture” strong continuities with Middle Ages (esp. in social life) Age of Exploration (1492) challenge to unifying force of Catholic Church (1517)—religious/pol division

Rise of National States Religious Warfare, balance of power emerges and changes (1588—defeat of Spanish Armada) Thirty Years War—ends in 1648 with Peace of Westphalia (Europe divided, last religious war, religious toleration, nation- state sovereignty)

Age of Absolutism and Warfare Growth of absolute monarchies, Louis XIV is the archetype (dies in 1715 w/Peace of Utrecht) Commercial Revolution and wars limited monarchies (Glorious Revolution in England— ) republics, city-states, and empires

Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment Copernicus and heliocentrism—1543 from a vitalistic to a mechanistic view of the world culminates with Newton’s synthesis in 1687 importance: undercuts religion, new power to state, idea of progress, technology, questioning of traditional institutions 1776—Wealth of the Nations and American Revolution

Age of Revolution, French Revolution begins in 1789 as fundamental critique of Old Regime spreads and stimulates opposition and war —Congress of Vienna stunts revolution —revolutions abound (1848-Marx) spread of industry—mechanization, mineral powers, urbanization, social problems (1851—Crystal Place Exhibition) Age of Ideologies—Dual Revolution

Modernism Emerges, Modern—reduce all of life to scientific principles 1859—Darwin’s Origin of Species (challenges religion and introduces random) Freud and Einstein (1905—relativity) further challenge reason, objectivity

Nationalism and Imperialism, Unification of nation-states by conservative leaders—Italy and Germany (1871) competition leads to imperial rivalries and First World War (WWI)

War, Revolution, and Crisis, Great War—defines the 20th century and undermines confidence in reason, technology, progress 1918—Bolshevik Revolution totalitarian movements (1933—Hitler comes to power) more destructive conflict (ends in 1945)

End of the Twentieth Century? Europe’s recovery “Pulling Back and Together” (decolonization and European unity) Cold War leads to Europe’s division —Fall of Communism and end of USSR next age?