1. Big History
The Whole Story
Big Bang Human Genome

2. A Different Point Of View
A basic paradigm shift
Conventional History Big History
5000 BCE to present Big Bang to Present
7,000 – 10,000 years 13.7 billion years
Compartmentalized fields of study Interdisciplinary approach
Focus: human civilization Focus: how mankind fits within universe
Taught mostly with books Interactive internet (ex. ChronoZoom)
Micro history Macro history
Focus on events and key individuals Focus on trends and processes
Based on written records Based on diverse sources

3. History Of Gold
Conventional History (7,000 years)
5,000 B.C. Present day
Valued throughout history
 Beauty, color, luster
 Easily worked and shaped
Monetary Value
 Precious metal
Man’s quest for gold
 Conquest of civilizations
 Trade

4. Big History Goes Deeper
Why is gold valuable?
Why is Gold rare?
Where does gold come from and how did it get here?
15 billion 12 billion 5 billion
Present day
Years Ago Years Ago Years Ago
Big Bang Formation
Creation of of earth
elements

5. Conventional World History
Egyptian Empire Roman Empire
Western Civilization Art

6. Conventional World History
Shakespeare
Wars
Religions

7. Where Did We Originate From?
 Spencer Wells
 Heads Human Genographic Project
 Tracking of genetic markers
 Map the migration of man out of Africa
DNA strand
 http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/journey/

8. Civilizations And Cities
 Guns, Germs and Steel – Jared Diamond
 Advanced Technology
 Well organized/specialized workforce
 Large populations

9. Guns, Germs and Steel
Conquest
 Spanish conquest of Incas in 1532
Guns
 Harquebus
Germs
 Disease
Steel
 Advanced technology due to specialization

10. Diffusion Theory
Greater diffusion of knowledge led to powerful
civilizations
Fertile Crescent
Farming
Domestication of Livestock
Population growth
Specialization of workforce

11. Diffusion Theory
 Rise of the west
 Rapid rate of rate of advancement
 Ease of geographic movement
 East-West orientation of land mass
 Specialization
 Temperate climate
 Abundant food sources/domestication of animals
 Trade
 Technological advancements
 Metal works
 gunpowder

12. Big History Solves a Mystery
535AD major climate change shrouds earth in darkness
David Keys uses multidisciplinary approach
Dendrochronology
 Tree ring science
Geology
 Analysis of ice core sample
 Analysis of soil samples
Biology
 Plague virus

13. Catastrophe
Consequences resulting from the Bubonic Plague
 Fall of Constantinople (1-see map)
 Avars lose to Turks (2) 3
 Britain (3)
 Growth of Islam (4)
1
2
4

14. Backup

15. Big History