This document provides an overview of big history from the origins of humans in Africa to modern world trade. It summarizes theories about human migration patterns out of Africa based on genetic and archaeological evidence. Major points of discussion include the catastrophes caused by volcanic eruptions in the 6th century CE, Jared Diamond's theory about advantages of certain civilizations due to geography and domesticable plants/animals, and the massive exchange of people, goods and diseases between the old and new worlds beginning in the 15th century.

1. The Way We AreJourney of ManCatastropheBIG HISTORYBy, Aaron BaconHistory 140Prof. Michael ArguelloGuns, Germs, and SteelWorld Trade

2. BIG HISTORY. A look into the history of the human race.From what many now believe to be the beginning of the human race in Africa, to the migration and population of nearly every corner of the earth by man. Humans had to endure catastrophes, wars, and diseases. With geographical luck some civilizations thrived more than others.The following presentation is a small look at how some scientist and historians have theorized what our history looks like.

3. From the beginning man has ask the questions who, what, where, and why.

4. The documentary “The way we are” points out that the Greeks where one of the first civilizations to document the struggles for answers.

5. The way we are, also demonstrates the resiliency of the human race, and the ability to adapt to change.

6. In every culture there are some things that may never change, marrage, burial rituals, and some religious believes.

7. Humans like to have institutions, in return the institutions keep order, make laws, and in most cases resist change.The way we are

8. Journey of manSpencer Wells Spencer Wells, a geneticist, has traced the human migration all over the world, by studying the DNA of thousands of people.

9. Wells’ findings show that the human race began in Africa, from there moved out to populate the rest of the world.

10. Wells shows that humans moved from Africa to India and on into Australia. Shortly after that, Wells show the migration path, humans took to central Asia, then into northern Asia, from there across the Bering Strait into the Americas.

11. Some cultures, shown in the documentary, did not like the idea that Well’s information goes against their religious believes. The human Y chromosome can be traced all the way back to “Adam” 2,000 generations.