Maps of Time: An Introduction to Big HistoryAn introduction to a new way of looking at history, from a perspective that stretches from the beginning of time to the present day, Maps of Time is world history on an unprecedented scale. Beginning with the Big Bang, David Christian views the interaction of the natural world with the more recent arrivals in flora and fauna, including human beings. Cosmology, geology, archeology, and population and environmental studies—all figure in David Christian's account, which is an ambitious overview of the emerging field of "Big History." Maps of Time opens with the origins of the universe, the stars and the galaxies, the sun and the solar system, including the earth, and conducts readers through the evolution of the planet before human habitation. It surveys the development of human society from the Paleolithic era through the transition to agriculture, the emergence of cities and states, and the birth of the modern, industrial period right up to intimations of possible futures. Sweeping in scope, finely focused in its minute detail, this riveting account of the known world, from the inception of space-time to the prospects of global warming, lays the groundwork for world history—and Big History—true as never before to its name. |
What people are saying - Write a review
User ratings
5 stars |
| ||
4 stars |
| ||
3 stars |
| ||
2 stars |
| ||
1 star |
|
Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified
LibraryThing Review
Umsögn notanda - auntmarge64 - LibraryThingI hardly know where to begin with this book, because it gathers so many threads and gives the reader so many directions to think about and investigate. I’ve taken the last year to read a couple of ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
Umsögn notanda - stretch - LibraryThingIs the written historical record enough to explain the history of civilization? David Christian would argue that it isn't, Maps of Time is a condensed, single volume argument based on his introductory ... Read full review
Efni
FIGURES | 1 |
A Modern Creation Myth? | 2 |
LLUSTRATIONS | 16 |
Origins of the Universe | 17 |
TABLES | 27 |
The Beginnings | 39 |
Origins and History of the Earth | 57 |
The Origins of Life and the Theory of Evolution | 79 |
1O Long Trends in the Era of Agrarian Civilizations | 283 |
O 1 Models of different types of exchange networks | 292 |
Chronology of early agrarian civilizations | 294 |
Teotihuacán | 301 |
Areas of AfroEurasia within agrarian civilizations | 305 |
and the environment | 311 |
O 5 Areas ruled by particular states and empires | 317 |
Approaching Modernity | 335 |
The Evolution of Life and the Biosphere | 107 |
The Evolution of Humans | 139 |
The evolution of stone tools over 2 5 million years | 161 |
The Beginnings of Human History | 171 |
Intensification and the Origins of Agriculture | 207 |
Cities States and Civilizations | 245 |
Globalization Commercialization and Innovation | 364 |
Birth of the Modern World | 439 |
Futures | 467 |
and Timelines | 493 |
Aðrar útgáfur - View all
Common terms and phrases
adapted Africa Afro-Eurasian agrarian civilizations agriculture animals appeared archaebacteria areas argued Asia astronomers atoms australopithecines bacteria began big bang big history brains cells century chemical chimps China collective learning commercial communities complex created creation myth Darwin domestication earliest early agrarian early earth early universe ecological emerged energy environments eukaryotic Eurasia Europe eventually evidence evolution evolutionary evolved existed explain foragers forms fossil galaxies genetic global gravity groups habilis helium Holocene hominines Homo habilis huge human history hydrogen ice age increased individuals innovation land larger lifeways living organisms Mesoamerica Mesopotamia million years ago modern humans molecules multicellular Neanderthals networks of exchange Paleolithic particular percent perhaps period planetesimals planets plate tectonics population growth primates processes production prokaryotes regions scale social societies solar system species stars structures suggest supernova surface survive symbolic technologies temperatures theory tion Upper Paleolithic world zones