Big History examines history on a large scale across long time periods and focuses on major themes and adaptations in human experience rather than isolated events. The documentary series "The Day the Universe Changed" used this approach of studying big picture themes and ideas to understand how human views have developed over time. Geneticist Spencer Wells' book and documentary "The Journey of Man" traced early human migrations out of Africa using genetic data and concluded that all modern humans evolved from a common ancestor in Africa. A major volcanic eruption in 535 AD caused global climate change, famine, and plague in a catastrophe that was only later understood through scientific evidence like tree rings.

1. What is “Big
History”?!
Kendra Lacasella
History 140-Online
September 2011

2. How is “Big History” defined?!
• The definition of “history”, is a continuous,
systematic narrative of past events. Also defined
as a branch of knowledge dealing with past
events.
-Now Big History has a different
definition, it is defined as an examination of
history on a large scale across long time frames…
and gives a focus on adaptations in the human
experience.
• Basically we are looking at more of a general
outlook on history rather than singled out events.
Mainly looking at larger themes.

3. The Way We Are!
“The Day the Universe Changed”!
• Englishman James Burke begins
his series by stating this, “what
you think the universe is and
how you react to it, is all based
on what you know.”
• He proceeds to say that though
history and how we have viewed
it through the years is what
makes us…. Well us.
• I believe that is what he is mainly
trying to get across to us
through his series.

4. The Way We Are!
“The Day the Universe Changed” Cont…!
• Another thing I noticed was that, James
Burke used the style of studying Big
History.
• He looked at things as a whole, and
putting many things together by putting
themes and ideas together to get one
whole idea.

5. Spencer Wells!
• Spencer Wells is a young
geneticist and anthropologist
from Georgia.
• He wrote, “The Journey of
Man: A Genetic Odyssey”
that we recently viewed the
film on.
• It explained for us how
genetic data has helped us
trace early modern humans
that migrated outside of
Africa.

6. The Journey of Man!
• Geneticist Spencer Wells traveled the
world, gathering DNA and concluded that
humans may be related to a man who lived
over 60,000 years ago in Africa.
• This documentary says that Homo erectus
evolved in Africa and expanded from there.
• He makes it a point to say that modern
humans evolved in Africa and left through
several waves of migration.
• Due to change in thoughts among people,
humans started communicating and
traveling which them lead them to migrate.
– This then lead to people in more areas and
an increase in population all over the world.

7. Oh, what a Catastrophe!!
• This event in 535 AD,
called the Catastrophe,
changed the worlds
climate for the worse.
• Rain poured down from the
sky poured down red,
clouds of dust enveloped
the earth, and the sun
began to grow dark.
• Many feared that this was
the end of the world
because of the drought,
plague and famine that this
brought.

8. Oh, what a Catastrophe!!
Cont…!
• Although David Keyes was not a professional historian, he
discovered the date of this “Catastrophe” (which was 535
AD.) by the use of tree rings, ice caps and recorded records
in the general time period of events in different cultures.
• There were 3 possibilities for this event (two of these were
ruled out for various reasons that led to a conclusion:
1. A comet
2. An asteroid
3. Or a volcano
• For many years people had no idea what caused this
disaster until Keyes came to his theory that it was due to a
huge volcanic eruption- most likely from Krakatoa in
Indonesia.

9. Guns, Germs, and Steel!
• After reading and watching the documentary on Guns, Germs, and Steel, it
helped explained how Europeans and Asians were able to come into the
most control of the world. Rather than others like Africans and Native
Americans.
• This success was due to resources such as:
– Continental Differences (in wild plant and animal species)
– Rates of Diffusion and Migration
– Diffusion between continents
– Continental Differences (in area or total population size)
• Power shifted to the west, and different empires started to rise.
• Europe had barriers, but obviously they weren’t big enough to prevent
ideas and technology advanced to pass to other countries. This was a
problem at the time.
• China had a problem with their politics that stopped many adaptations
while in Europe Columbus had an opportunity to start his voyage.

10. The World & Trade (1400’s) !
• Christopher Columbus encouraged others after his
voyage to go out of what they knew. This lead to
many voyages such as the voyage led by Juan
Rodriguez Cabrillo in the 1500s.
• Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo-
– Led the first European voyage to explore the west coast of
the US.
– He arrived at a port which is now known as, The San Diego
Bay.
– Through him, an established trading route between Central
America and the Spice Islands off Asia was made.
• Asia-
– Trade goods that the Europeans wanted like: gold, different
silks and spices (these were in high demand at the time)
– China began replacing paper and copper currency with silver,
this affected 5 continents.
• Europeans
– They would travel far and wide for new things to trade and
learn about this new world that was introduced to them!

11. The World & Trade (1400’s)!
Cont…!
• One crop that grew majorly popular was
potatoes-
– They were very easy to grow and could be in
harsh climates and not be harmed.
– It became the second largest food crop in the
world.
• Then there was coffee-
– The beverage was probably developed around
1400 in the city of Mocca but by the 1500s it
became popular on the Arabian peninsula.
– Muslims adopted it in their worship, and it
spread from there as far as India and Indonesia.
– The café was born in the Middle east.
– But although it was so popular, Europeans were
slow to adopt coffee as a habit and they had
several reasons for that
• Viewed as heretical, it didn’t please the Europeans
because of Turkish style, and it was expensive.