1. Chapter 1: Foundations of World History
I. The Study of World History

2. The Historian and His Task
The Historian’s Resources
Primary sources: Records produced during the time period being studied
Secondary sources: Records that explain or interpret primary sources

3. The Historian and His Task
The Historian’s Resources
Primary sources are derived from three basic historical resources:
Artifacts
Tradition
Written records

4. The Historian and His Task
Artifacts
Objects made by man
Small relics
Towering monuments
Works of art
Everyday items
Architecture

5. The Historian and His Task
Tradition
The handing down of information by word of mouth from generation to generation
Legends, ballads, folk songs, tales

6. The Historian and His Task
Written Records
Abundant and diverse
Most important to historians

7. The Historian and His Task
The Historian’s Use of His Resources
Evaluation of historical sources

8. The Historian and His Task
The Historian’s Use of His Resources
Historical synthesis
Historical interpretation

9. The Historian and His Task
The Historian’s Philosophy
Limited
Must select what to record
Must select what to emphasize
These decisions are driven by a historian’s philosophy of life

10. Studying History with a Christian Worldview
A perspective from which one examines and interprets the universe and everything in it

11. Studying History with a Christian Worldview
The Christian Worldview:
God made the world and everything in it
This world has fallen into a sad and broken condition because of human sin
God is working to redeem this world to Himself

12. Studying History with a Christian Worldview
Divine Control of History
Divine providence: God has planned and controls all of human history
Divine providence affects our study of history in two important ways

13. Divine Providence We should be historical optimists.
We should develop the habit of studying history with God’s will in mind.

14. Studying History with a Christian Worldview
Man’s Fall into Sin
Why our world is a troubled place
Historical actions can be evaluated by the moral standards of Scripture

15. Studying History with a Christian Worldview
Redemption in Christ as the Goal of History
To redeem this world to Himself
To establish Christ’s kingdom on earth so that through that kingdom He may declare His own glory

16. A Final Word
History: The study of the record of the past acts of God and man on earth from its creation to the present, based on the best surviving evidence

17. Chapter 1: Foundations of World History
II. The Beginnings of World History

18. Creation Yahweh, the only true God “In the beginning God”
Created by speaking
Six days

19. Creation
The Climax of Creation
The human race
On the sixth day

20. Creation Mankind’s Distinction Created in the image of God
All of the qualities that set humans apart from the rest of creation and that reflect part of God’s own personality

21. Creation Mankind’s Purpose Creation Mandate Subdue Have dominion
Knowledge and skill
Advancement of culture
To declare God’s glory

22. Creation Mankind’s Purpose Creation Mandate Civilization Cities
Specialization
Organization

23. The Fall Adam and Eve The First Sin Consequences Twisted affections
Thwarted dominion

24. Redemption Genesis 3:15 The Two Seeds The Central Conflict
Seed of the serpent
Seed of the woman
The Central Conflict

25. Moral Decay and Judgment
Cain and his seed
Cities and civilization
Not pleasing to God
Seth and his seed
Eventually mixed with Cain’s seed

26. Moral Decay and Judgment
The Great Flood
God’s plan for Noah
The entire earth

27. A Second Beginning
Noah’s sons
Noah’s prophecy
Canaan
Shem
Japheth

28. A Second Beginning
Babel
Confusion of languages

29. A Second Beginning Rise of Nations
Nation: A very large group of people who have in common the same land area and the same language
Table of Nations