5 Themes of World History Flashcards
What does SPICE stand for?
Social; Political; Interactions between humans and the environment; Cultural; Economic
How did people form societies in prehistoric times?
- Because they needed to form social groups to meet their need for food, shelter and security. Then social groups banned together to form societies.
Each society= diff rules and customs to govern behavior and help it function
Common topics covered by the “Social” theme
- Gender roles and relations, including the place of women in society
- Customs relating to family and kinship
- racial and ethnic differences and the impact on society
- division of society into social and economic classes
Creation of political systems and forms of government
- World history has often been presented as a series of one ruler or government after another, nevertheless, political structures are an important aspect of history and a key element in the growth of civilization
Political structures
- forms of government: democracy, oligarchy, monarchy
- the nature and growth of empires
- large territories controlled by a single ruler or state
- the development of national political revolts and revolutions
- regional or global organizations such as the European Union and the United Nations
Interaction between humans and the environment includes:
- disease
- population growth
- migration
- patterns of human settlement
- technology and climate change
How has the environment been a key factor in human activity throughout history
- It has affected how and where people live and how they are supported. People also affect the environment they live in.
Cultural diffusion
The spread of cultural influence by different cultures that have exchanged ideas and adopted new beliefs and customs. At the same time conflict has arisen from different ideas.
Some examples of cultural interactions:
- the growth and development of religions
- the formation and spread of other belief systems and philosophies
- the ideas of science and technology and how they move across cultures
- artistic influence in painting music, architecture, literature
Economic factors have played a critical role hin history, driving people to and societies to:
- innovate
- explore
- expand
Economic factors have played a critical role in history, because:
- Ecomonic motives lie at the heart of many human activites, from the quest for food to the pursuit of wealth
The economic theme includes:
- the birth of agriculture and the expansion of trade
- how labor is organized and used
- the rise of industry
- the development of economic theories that have had a major impact on people and events around the world