Ways of the World

Here's a quick periodization table that might help us see the changes responsible for significant historical change: Paelolithic Neolithic Ancient Classical Modern Existential Evolved as Homo Sapiens Outcompeted all other species of hominids Competed with one another Competition for dominance between civilizations Capitalism intensifies competition within and among peoples Technological Basic Stone Tools Advanced stone tools for more complex purposes More sophisticated technology including writing Unique thinkers develop seminal ideas that still define us as peoples Industrial revolution multiplies human productivity and output Social Small Bands of Gatherer/Hunters Small settled agricultural communities Food surplus led to specialization, civilizations and city states Formation of complex empires and cosmopolitan/urban centers (diverse cultures) Development of colonial empires and relationships Restlessness Migrated out of Africa All continents inhabited except...

The Cambrai Madonna - Byzantine c.a. 1340 (Source: https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Cambrai_Madonna) Chapter 10: The Worlds of Christendom Constraction, Expansion and Division 500 - 1300 Remebering to Forget "Usualy students of history are asked to remember. But forgetting can also be an aid to historical understanding" (Strayer 446).  This quote by Strayer, found at the end of chapter 10, is probably the most enlightening thing I've read thus far.  By forgetting what you think you already know about history, you can reexamine it through a fresh perspective - your own, intstead of what some one else has decided what its relevance is. Oddly enough, I think that this chapter offered me some great insights after thinking about this quote.  My wife is Armenian Orthodox (by way of Buenos Aires, her grandparents moved there post genocide), and I am Roman Catholic (by way of Sicily).  I am extremly familiar with both traditions now, but the fa...

Tang Dynasty Ceramic Female Polo Player (Source: https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-important-events/tang-dynasty-arts-family-concubine-empress-021917) Chapter 8: China and the World East Asian Connections 500-1300 Let's Stay Together We might learn much from China's reinvention of itself after the fall of the Han Dynasty around 200 C.E..  If we believe we are headed off a cliff economically, politically and culturally, looking back to China's long history of boom and bust might give us some idea of how such an enduring society has managed to utilize such staying power.  It took 300 years, but China righted itself after political disunity and fragmentation under the Sui Dynasty.  No small feat to be sure, but an amazing testament to the power of a unified culture driven by an academic and thoughtful approach to government and beauracracy that lasted a thousand years.  Public servants and government officials were required to take exam...

Silk Road Artwork (Source: https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-middle-east/silk-road) CHAPTER 7: COMMERCE AND CULTURE 500 - 1500 Engines of Commerce and Culture The three major engines of commerce that fueled early trade were the "Silk Road", the "Sea Road" and the "Sand Road."  Before reading this chapter, I had never heard of any trade routes other than the Silk Road, but it cretainly makes sense that others developed.  Besides being ignorant of the Sea Road, I had really underestimated it's importance in trade.  Since ships could carry much more cargo, much greater distances at a substantial savings in cost, the goods that were transported opened up the trade markets to the masses rather than just the elite.  This meant that other goods, those besides luxury goods, could be transported for trade.  Not only was the Sea road important for an increased diversity of goods, but it influenced the new civilizations that sprang up a...

Meroitic Cursive (Source: https://scriptsource.org/cms/scripts/page.php?item_id=script_detail_use&key=Merc) Joseph Randall Cali Patti Andrews World History HST 2020-01 16 May 2019 Commonalities and Variations 500 B.C.E. - 1200 C.E. A Balancing Act In previous chapters, I've found it helpful for me to summarize what I've found to be interesting and important in the text - basicaly typing my notes.  As I get further into the text, however, I'm observing  a couple of things I'm finding helpful to keep me more focused on the forest instead of the trees.  First of all, the subtext in the margin notes are pretty good in helping me look for specifics so I don't end up annotating the entire text - thinking everything is important and losing sight of delicate threads.  These are usually comparisons of civilization's similarities and differences.  Secondly, I'm finding that specific dates and historical individuals aren't as impor...

Jati and Varna Castes by Veloso Salgado (Source: https://www.kanopy.com/product/caste-varna-and-jati) Joseph Randall Cali Patti Andrews World History HST 2020-01 16 May 2019 Society and Inequality in Eurasia/North Africa 500 B.C.E. - 500 C.E. Recently, the fight for greater equality has found its way to front and center in our political and social discourse.  There is a tendancy to want to erase symbols of historical norms in favor of a more enlightened and progressive outlook.  While this moves an important social discussion forward, the complex background and historical context must be understood in order to prevent further missteps in the way that we segment and view our relationship between identity and society. Imperial Social Inequality In early Chinese imperial society, the state bestowed elite status upon the administrative officials, thus institutionalizing inequality at the state level.  Professional civil servants were educated...

Ahura Mazda - The Zoroarstrian Diety (Source: https://www.ancient.eu/Ahura_Mazda/) Joseph Randall Cali Patti Andrews World History HST 2020-01 16 May 2019 Chapter 4: Culture and Religion in Eurasia/North Africa 500 B.C.E - 500 C.E As ancient empires began to make sense of the world and govern themselves, the earliest forms of organized religion began to take shape and have a profound impact on the culture of civilization.  What was the relationship between worship and culture?  How did it affect social norms?  What purpose did it serve?  I've always thought about these things - maybe a little cynically, but I'd always thought it served a purpose to legitimize wealth accumulation or power of one group over another simply by association.  Men over women, believers over non-believers, clergy over the "flock".   Perhaps I could get a clear picture from Strayer's text. After reading the chapter, I can see that it was likely t...

Roman Artwork Depicting a Woman Caring for Her Children (Source: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=18277b7bfb394c48b77e6308a09259fc) Joseph Randall Cali Patti Andrews World History HST 2020-01 16 May 2019 WW Intro to Part 2, Chapter 3 500 BCE to 500 CE The evolution of the Neolithic Period into the Ancient Period around 500 BCE is characterized by the rise of a second wave of civilizations - or Empires, writing and political systems.  Great civilizations like the Persian, Greek, Roman and Chinese empires rose up and began to flourish in a short time span when compared to the prior periods.  The rapid changes in agricultural methods and technology advancements forever changed the path of human development. I find the period of the early ancient civilizations of special interest to me.  In a relatively short time period, the influences of culture and art of the great civilizations of the world - Persia, Gree...

Paleolithic Artwork, Cave of Altimura (Source: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotta_di_Altamira) Joseph Randall Cali Patti Andrews World History HST 2020-01 9 May 2019 WW Prologue, Intro, and Chapters 1 and 2 "Big History", the Paleolithic and the Neolithic Ages Strayer's text begins with a discussion of "Big History", the study of history that includes the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods occurring before the written word.  Although I find them fascinating, Strayer contends that these periods have been ignored by history professors for a couple of reasons.  I would agree that first of all, they are pre-historical, occurring before history was written.  Without a written account, the events of these early periods are largely reconstructed via relics and artifacts.  Because of this, these periods were the domain of arciologists and anthropologists rather than historians.  Secondly, history is the study of change over time. ...

Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam" (Source:   http://www.wikiart.org/en/michelangelo/sistine-chapel-ceiling-creation-of-adam-1510) Joseph Randall Cali Patti Andrews World History HST 2020-01 9 May 2019 We are Live This blog is a collection of postings specifically created for Notre Dame de Namur University's World History (HST 2020-01) class.  Over the next 10 weeks, it will detail reading reflections from  Ways of the World: A Brief Global History by   Robert W. Strayer and Eric W. Nelson.  The MLA Citing for this text is: Strayer, Robert W., and Eric W. Nelson.  Ways of the World:A Brief Global History .  3rd ed. , Bedford/St. Martin's, 2013. The blog citing format will be MLA where applicable, while the general format will be from the blogger.com predefined fonts and spacing.  Each week, as chapters are assigned, the blog will be updated with a new entry that reflects the readings.