Chapter 1 introduces us to the essence of gathering and hunting. This survival method would be discussed throughout several chapters in the text. What I found most interesting is 1)their unpretentious way of living and 2) complacence with regard to progress. As Captain James Cook noted, they live a peaceful life and only desire what they need. Some would say the most exceptional aspect of the Paleolithic period was the evolution of the human species and the development of the first stone tools.
Chapter 2 establishes the revolutions of agricultural. One would have to wonder if in changing the natural way of things we somehow mis-directed the evolution of something else. Whether it was altering the size of corn cobbs or discriminating breeding of sheeps and cows. The end of the Ice Age allowed for conditions that may perpetuated the agricultural revolution. With this, populations increased and technology changes started to occur.
Chapter 3 depicts the surfacing of civilizations. With agricultural abound civilizations were sure to happen, but within any civilization, both ancient and contemporary, inequality existed. I guess it's just human nature to make sure there is always someone beneath you.
I enjoyed reading these chapters. I learned a lot from our textbook.
ReplyDeleteEven with early civilizations, inequality existed. Rulers, leaders, and anyone else with high status in life were found to have been buried with slaves to accompany them to the "other world."
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