The Super Summary of World History - Alan Dale Daniel [3]
The history of our world can be divided into sections, and here are the ones we will use:
Prehistory (before the written word—150,000 BC to about 8000 BC in the near east)
The most important events in human history occur here: agriculture, writing, societal organization
Ancient history (8000 BC to about AD 455 or the fall of Rome)
The rise of cities and complex administrative organizations
The Dark Ages (AD 455 to AD 1300)
The failure and disintegration of Roman Western civilization and societal organization in Europe.
Renaissance (AD 1300 to AD 1500)
Rediscovering ancient wisdom and moving beyond, with the help of science and the printing press
Age of Discovery to World War I (1500 to 1914)
Europe finds out that the world is a large place, and then devours it while building a golden age of progress
World War I (1914 to 1918)
WWI cracks the Western world, then the Great Depression shatters it as the West totters on the brink of total economic and social collapse
Interwar Years and World War II (1918 to 1945)
The entire world tumbles into another total war, and then crawls over broken landscapes into the future
Cold War (1945 to 1989)
As the world rebuilds and rearranges itself, a twilight war rages menacing all, and after it fades the future darkens yet again with new threats of religious wars without end
Postmodern History (End of the cold war in 1989 and beyond . . . well, a little beyond)
Technology makes breathtaking advances while humanity’s thoughts grow cold and dark. New wars erupt with new methods of killing. What will rule the future, destruction or progress? Does progress really exist?
The invention of agriculture and animal husbandry was THE most important event in secular history. The invention of writing and the invention of the printing press were some of the next most important events, but nearly every historian will agree that without agriculture and animal husbandry the world would be a far different place. Religious folks will say the advent of their religious leader, such as Jesus Christ, Mohammad, or Buddha for example, was by far the most important event in history; however, that leads to a decision based solely on religion and a religious leader’s impact. A Christian is not going to say the birth of Buddha was more important than the birth of Jesus. Because of this, I will stay away from proclaiming the start of a religion as the most important event in history although the start of the great religions truly was of immense importance.
Just for fun, let’s guess at the top twenty events in world history (based on how they influence our present world), in order of importance (religion excluded). Here is my list. Does your list match?
Top 20 Events in History (my opinion)
1. The Invention of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (8,500 BC). The Neolithic Revolution. This will also include the invention of spoken language, the wheel, metallurgy, social order (government), and the idea of god and an afterlife (maybe), to name a few other “minor” items that go along with 8500 BC. As far as importance, nothing else comes close.
2. The invention of writing (5,000 BC).
3. The invention of the Printing Press (AD 1430).
4. The Discovery of the Scientific Method (AD 1469, Natural History published).
5. Tesla & Electricity Generation (AD 1881, first US Electrical power plant).
6. World War I, and World War II ( AD 1914-1945).
7. World Population explosion (AD 1800 on).
8. The Start of the Latest Interglacial Period (15,000 BC).
9. The Fall of the Western (AD 455) and the Eastern Roman Empire (AD 1453).
10. The Discovery of the New World (AD 1492).
11. The Industrial Revolution