Blog #1: Prologue, First Peoples: Out of Africa and the Ways We Were

Blog #1: Prologue, First Peoples: Out of Africa and the Ways We Were

Cosmic history is responsible for the birth of the universe and essentially all of life. The explosion of the stars is where the universe began, specifically the birth of the solar system that created the simplest of life. However, the concept of the cosmos varies across individuals because the diverse world we live in consists of many religious, academic, and cultural backgrounds. Different species have emerged as a result of this cosmic mystery. Our species, Homo sapiens, is an especially and advanced and intelligent one, and we have adapted to our habitats through creating systems essential to life such as language, art, technology, and agriculture. Globalization across the world has also contributed to general human awareness everywhere. Understanding the immense size and age of the universe allows us to realize how massive our home is.

In studying history, we must consider change, comparison, and connections. Noting change has allowed historians to draw conclusions, comparing events in history raises questions across different peoples while performing an essential task in studying history, and by drawing connections we arrive closer to a larger illustration of world history. These three contexts bring clarity to our understanding of the complex stories of human history.

The first humans belonged to the Paleolithic era, and they gathered and hunted their food sources. Advancement began to flourish during the Industrial Revolution, which marked a significant point in human advancement. It is important not to ignore the study of Paleolithic and Neolithic peoples because these are our ancestors that have initiated change in human life.

The human species, and all aspects of it, including culture, activity, “food collection,” and behavior, originated in Africa. Following the birth of humankind in Africa, humans dispersed out into other areas of the planet, first starting with the Middle East, following Europe and then Asia. In Eurasia, food collection techniques emerged along with art and adaptation to the environment. Following this time frame, humans began migrating into Australia, where the use of boats originated, as well as “250 languages” and the advancement of food collection technologies. The Aboriginal people of Australia developed the Dreamtime, which was a new perspective “of the world,” which examined stories of creation. Clovis culture emerged when humans migrated to the Americas, and to historians, this is a “widespread” emergence of cultural traditions. They hunted animals and camped along earth, but at this same time, many animal species became extinct, yet the “hunting way of life” modernized on a great level. Lastly, humans migrated into the Pacific, where trading expanded, as well as the creation of chiefdoms and “highly stratified societies.”  

Paleolithic people were the creators of human societies, including significant aspects of human activity ranging from religion, art, language, and culture. The first Paleolithic societies were small and disorganized without leaders. It was not until later times that there was more gender equality. There was much competition for food and resources that often became brutal and physical. However, all Paleolithic societies had organized structure and regulations to promote social order. Further, though it may seem Paleolithic people had inadequate and unsuccessful ways of food collection, recent studies highlight that their techniques proved to be efficient.

Although evidence for religion, rituals, and the supernatural in Paleolithic culture is limited, it is also open for various interpretations and perspectives, through “linguistic evidence” as well as “rock art” that revealed “ceremonial” practices as well as beliefs in gods, spirits, and deities.

The changes of Paleolithic culture occurred with migration, climate change, and population growth. The largest change was a “general global warming” that was natural and not human-induced. Flora and fauna expanded under “improved conditions,” societies grew, and groups began settling. The settlement process among these food-collection peoples was a significant turning point in human history, leading to the phenomenon known as agriculture.

Strayer, Robert W., and Eric Nelson. Ways of the World: a Brief Global History with Sources. Bedford/St. Martin's, A Macmillan Education Imprint, 2016.