Chapter 1 & 2
This is my first history class in a couple of years. When I
first graduated from high school and went to community college, I took most of
my electives first along with my history classes. I love history and enjoy
learning about our past but I can say it has been sometime opening up a history
textbook. This textbook for sure seems to be an easier read than most. I feel
like the author makes the material very relatable and I don’t find myself
having to read paragraphs over and over to understand the material.
Chapter one and two were very interesting. I really enjoyed
reading about the global dispersion of humans around the world and where our
first ancestors derived from. In class there was a debate on whether or not
what we are learning is true since the material is based on theories. This idea
came to mind when I was reviewing our first human societies. Historians agree
that the information they have gathered from Paleolithic communities had rules
and structured. They are believed to be more of an egalitarian community,
valuing each role a person contributes to their clan, and having a high respect
for nature.
Although historians are only basing their theories off
evidence that has been collected, they also compare Paleolithic communities to
modern day native cultures. Although native cultures are so far removed from modern
day societies, they still have the influence of what is exposed to them. I
think historians may have a biased opinion when observing modern day natives
cultures and comparing them to Paleolithic communities that lived hundreds and
years ago. Although there is evidence of their existence, tools they used, and
other artifacts but there is not actual recording or evidence explaining how
they lived their day-to-day lives.
I thought the gender difference roles in chapter 2 in the
early civilizations were interesting. The book stated that gender resulted in a
patriarchal role in society causing the women to be subordinate to men and men
having a high power. We see this a lot in
history and even till this day. It will be interesting to read about women of
higher power later on in the book.
