Maps of Time: An Introduction to Big History (California World History Library)

An 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. a.pdf......Page 1 b.pdf......Page 40 c.pdf......Page 75 d.pdf......Page 115 e.pdf......Page 155 f.pdf......Page 195 g.pdf......Page 235 h.pdf......Page 275 i.pdf......Page 315 j.pdf......Page 355 b.pdf......Page 377 c.pdf......Page 381 d.pdf......Page 397 e.pdf......Page 398 f.pdf......Page 411 c.pdf......Page 414 d.pdf......Page 418 e.pdf......Page 423 f.pdf......Page 431 g.pdf......Page 441 h.pdf......Page 445 i.pdf......Page 451 j.pdf......Page 456 k.pdf......Page 462 d.pdf......Page 463 e.pdf......Page 471 f.pdf......Page 472 g.pdf......Page 482 h.pdf......Page 493 i.pdf......Page 501 j.pdf......Page 506 k.pdf......Page 511 l.pdf......Page 513 m.pdf......Page 521 n.pdf......Page 522 o.pdf......Page 530 p.pdf......Page 536 q.pdf......Page 546 r.pdf......Page 547 b.pdf......Page 548 c.pdf......Page 556 d.pdf......Page 561 e.pdf......Page 566 f.pdf......Page 571 g.pdf......Page 576 h.pdf......Page 580 i.pdf......Page 586 j.pdf......Page 589 k.pdf......Page 591 l.pdf......Page 596 m.pdf......Page 597 n.pdf......Page 600 o.pdf......Page 601 p.pdf......Page 606 q.pdf......Page 611 r.pdf......Page 616 s.pdf......Page 621 t.pdf......Page 626 u.pdf......Page 631 v.pdf......Page 636 x.pdf......Page 641 c.pdf......Page 646 d.pdf......Page 651 e.pdf......Page 654 f.pdf......Page 655 g.pdf......Page 658 h.pdf......Page 659 i.pdf......Page 666 An introduction to a new way of looking at history, from a perspective that stretches from the beginning of time to the twenty-first century, this book is world history on an unprecedented scale. Beginning with the Big Bang, the author 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 this account, which is an ambitious overview of the emerging field of "Big History." The book 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 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. -- Publisher's description a.pdf 1 a.pdf 1 a.pdf 1 b.pdf 40 c.pdf 75 d.pdf 115 e.pdf 155 f.pdf 195 g.pdf 235 h.pdf 275 i.pdf 315 j.pdf 355 b.pdf 377 b.pdf 377 c.pdf 381 d.pdf 397 e.pdf 398 f.pdf 411 c.pdf 414 c.pdf 414 d.pdf 418 e.pdf 423 f.pdf 431 g.pdf 441 h.pdf 445 i.pdf 451 j.pdf 456 k.pdf 462 d.pdf 463 e.pdf 471 f.pdf 472 g.pdf 482 h.pdf 493 i.pdf 501 j.pdf 506 k.pdf 511 l.pdf 513 m.pdf 521 n.pdf 522 o.pdf 530 p.pdf 536 q.pdf 546 r.pdf 547 b.pdf 548 b.pdf 548 c.pdf 556 d.pdf 561 e.pdf 566 f.pdf 571 g.pdf 576 h.pdf 580 i.pdf 586 j.pdf 589 k.pdf 591 l.pdf 596 m.pdf 597 n.pdf 600 o.pdf 601 p.pdf 606 q.pdf 611 r.pdf 616 s.pdf 621 t.pdf 626 u.pdf 631 v.pdf 636 x.pdf 641 c.pdf 646 d.pdf 651 e.pdf 654 f.pdf 655 g.pdf 658 h.pdf 659 i.pdf 666