This Fleeting World Flashcards
When was the Palaeolithic Era?
250,000 BCE - 10,000 BCE
Who lived during the Palaeolithic Era?
Hunter-gatherers
Why was the hunter-gatherer way of life more sustainable?
They didn’t change the environment
How do we study the Palaeolithic Era?
Leftover stone tools
How do we date the Palaeolithic Era?
Carbon-14 dating
What are the two models of the evolution of modern humans?
Multi-regional model & out-of-Africa model
What makes us special from other animals?
Symbolic language
What is symbolic language?
Have an alphabet; be able to discuss theoretical concepts; be able to pass through generations
How did hunter-gatherers retain communal relationships?
Familial/marriage relationships between communities
Why were hunter-gatherers affluent?
They had no material possession; they had better dietary health; everything they needed they found and foraged
Who caused megafauna extinctions?
Hunter-gatherers
When did the first humans start to settle in abundant areas?
20,000 - 15,000 years ago
When did the Agrarian Era start?
around 11,000 BCE
What proportion of the human population lived in the Agrarian Era?
70%
What were the four world zones?
Australia, Pacific Islands, Americas, Afro-Eurasia
When did a hierarchy of power first emerge?
Agrarian Era
When were secondary products first farmed?
4,000 BCE
What is the Malthusian Cycle?
When population growth outpaces agricultural, populations will fall in a Malthusian catastrophe
When did cities first emerge?
3,000 BCE
When did the beginnings of the Silk Road emerge?
2,000 BCE
When was the Industrial Revolution?
1750-1914
What were the three ‘waves’ of the Industrial Revolution?
- Steam engine and cotton-spinning machines
- Steam engines mounted on wheels created locomotives
- Industrial technologies spread across developed nations
What was the economic growth in the 19th Century?
The GDPs of UK/Germany/USA increased 3-4 times from 1820 - 1913
What were the effects of anti-colonialism?
100 countries gained independence from 1945-1985.
What is the wealth gap in the modern era?
In 1991 the wealthiest 20% had 61 times the poorest 20%
What are the four issues with periodisation?
Theoretical, organisational, ethical, technical
