Big History: Finding Humanity’s Place in the Universe

Even though human civilization has only been around for roughly 5000 years, most historical studies focus exclusively on this period, ignoring the 13 billion years that led up to it. In this course, we will widen the scope of history to include the complete timeline, analyzing and exploring how the momentous events that took place before the earliest humans have shaped our development as a species. With a focus on the crucial historical thresholds that transformed humans and society, we will construct a more complete history of humanity. Using David Christian’s Maps of Time as a guide, we will incorporate astronomy, biology, geology, and environmental science to develop a more complete account of history and humanity’s place in it. We will challenge common misconceptions of cause and effect in history, provoking students to look at human history with a more critical lens. In doing so, students will be better equipped to understand modern society as it stands today by having a fuller appreciation of the colossal forces that have and continue to impact our daily lives in countless ways. To achieve this goal, course activities will include reading, writing, discussion, and research into a wide array of topics.