This document summarizes the history of major human societies from 50,000 years ago to the rise of early modern empires. It describes how early human groups migrated along coastlines as languages developed. Some societies became dominant due to abundant resources and easier diffusion of ideas within Eurasia. The Fertile Crescent declined after forests were cleared, while China isolated itself and fell behind innovations. Power shifted to empires like Greece, Rome, and Spain through military conquests and colonial expansion enabled by discoveries like Columbus' voyage to the New World in 1492.

1. HISTORY’S PRECEDENTS

2. Beginnings
• 50,000 years ago
– Language develops
– Human society begins to fracture
• Social groups first migrate along
coastline.
– Migrations forced by weather and
food sources
• Humanity has spread to all
habitable areas of the earth

3. Rise of Dominant Societies
• Why some societies become
dominant
– Abundant varieties of domesticable flora
and fauna
– Rate of diffusion and migration
• Easier within East-West bias due to climate
(Eurasia)
– Diffusion between continents
– Size of population and area
• Large populations and area provided more
concentration to adopt innovations

4. Why some societies failed
• Fertile Crescent
– Large forest with temperate clime
• Environment was fragile with low rainfall
• Cleared forest for agriculture and to obtain timber
for construction and fuel
• With no sustainment of vegetation, climate shifted
– Societies died out but the domesticated animals and
plant had migrated to Europe
• China
– Dominant due to food production, ecological
diversity and technology
– Shift in political power brought new group in
power.
• Ended “treasure fleet” associated with previous
political power
• Suspended all oceangoing shipping
– By no competing or interacting with other social
groups, China lost by not keeping abreast of
innovations

5. Rise of the Empires
• Greece
– Alexander the Great
• Conquest based on superior
military tactics and technology
• Rome
– Direct descendant of Greece
– Conquest initially based on military power
– Access to luxury, opulence and trappings of
power led to conquered subjects identifying
themselves as Roman
– Rome eventually fell to its immense size

6. New Empires
• Holy Roman Empire
– More a confederation of separate Christian
kingdoms than a true empire
– Emperor appointed by Pope
• Spain
– One of many kingdoms in the Holy Roman
Empire
– Created by marriage of Isabella (Castile) and
Ferdinand III (Aragon) and later conquest of
Emirate of Granada in 1492

7. New World
• Columbus
– Requested funding from five rulers
before Spain approved the voyage in
1492
– Discovery changed world power
• Spanish Empire uses new wealth
to fund Navy as expression of
power
– Power dwindles due to inflation and
waste of money spent to increase
power of Holy Roman Empire
• Other countries create empire by
settling in new world

8. Sources
• Journey of Man – National Geographic –
Spencer Wells
• Guns, Germs, and Steel – Jared Diamond
• World in 1492 – No author identified
• Peoples and Empires – Anthony Pagden
• The Day the Universe Changed – James Burke
• Wikipedia – Spanish Empire