1) James Burke identifies that through accumulating knowledge over time, inventions and innovations have led to progress that changes history. 2) A scientific hypothesis suggests that a volcanic eruption in the 6th century disrupted climate conditions worldwide and caused migrations, diseases, and changes to civilizations. 3) Jared Diamond explains how Europeans achieved dominance over the Americas due to advantages in domesticated plants/animals, ease of technology/crop transfers, and diseases that devastated the native population without European immunities.

1. B. Scott TuckerHIS 140Big history

2. Progression Through knowledgeJames Burke identifies that through the knowledge we have obtained over the course of time we have changed history.Inventions + Innovation = ProgressWe are a society of constant change! We look to change on a daily basis, we are not a dormant population.We (society) in totality are curious, we have the right to be curious.We ask questions and the discoveries/ answers found change outcomes, change history.

3. Inventions + Innovation = ProgressGood ideas from the past have been preserved, used as a foundation, and modified to fit the structure of todays culture.“Culture reveals itself by what it does.”

4. Origin through scienceDr. Spencer Wells, geneticist, using modern science to link modern day man to a single human living 60,000 years ago.Using modern day technology, Genotyping was used to trace where modern day humans first evolved, their migratory patterns, and the path they took to get to present day locations.First human living in Africa 60,000 years ago.Lisango Bushman closest to ancestors.

5. Natural Disasters changing historyA scientific hypothesis was generated that in the mid 6th Century a natural disaster occurred that changed the course of history. Believed that it was an eruption of the Volcano, Krakatoa.Multiple Scientists, of different disciplines, throughout the world utilized different methods to help support this theory. (Scientists and Historians used methods from Tree Ring samples to collecting samples from the Volcano)This event drastically changed climate conditions around the world which had a large chain reaction. Decreased temperatures, Decreased strength of the sun to heat and evaporate the ocean surfaces, Decreased moisture in the atmosphere, decreased rainfall, increased droughts.

6. Climatic changes caused obscure migratory patterns to other lands due to disruption in food supplies.Cooling Temps. Caused increased breeding grounds for Germs and diseases. (Plague)

7. Conquering the massesJared Diamond shows how through technology, resource availability, and disease the great civilizations of the Americas were decimated . Europeans achieved dominance due to multiple reasons:They had an abundance of plants and animals suitable for domestication (6 of the 8 “founder crops”, and 4out 5 most domesticated animals.);The ease of transferring their animals, crops, and technology due to their land mass orientation (East-West v. North-South, as in Africa and the Americas.)

8. Diseases: (Measles, Smallpox, T.B. from cattle; Flu from pigs and ducks; pertussis from pigs and dogs) wiped out approx. 95% of America’s pre-Colombian Population.Epidemic diseases originated in domesticated animals. Indians, not having domesticated animals didn’t have the same immunities as the Europeans.Technology: Steel swords and gun powder far outmatched the primitive weapons used by the Indian Civilizations.

9. The Great DiscoveryChristopher Columbus’s voyage that led to the “discovery” of a new continent changed history forever.

10. With Great Discovery came Great Destruction!

11. This discovery opened global paths to help cultures and civilizations grow in many ways to help them develop into what they are today.

12. Pros:

13. Introduce new plants, foods, and drugs via trade that provided economical and cultural growth within societies. (i.e. potato, corn, chocolate, tobacco) (This goes both ways)

14. Exploration of new lands that allowed new plants/ foods/ technology to be discovered. Allowed migration of Europeans and other cultures to the Americas.

15. Introduction to new cultures.The Great DestructionCons:“ Global trade not only created commercial networks, it also destroyed them.”With the arrival of the Europeans, their technology, and their diseases the Great Indian civilizations (Aztec, Inca) witnessed monumental collapses either through force or through epidemics. (Smallpox, Measles, etc.)