New genetic clues from China's ancient man

Note connection between East Asia and the Americas... and the reference to "fisher-gatherer" peoples!

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/07/2013718134940330104.html

New middle class

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13845032

Quiz 4 Study Guide

Summer World History – Quiz 4 Study Guide

1) “We think that way because it’s our way of thinking” (student blog, Spring 2010). Discuss one instance in which the historical material we have covered this semester has caused you to re-examine an opinion, perception, understanding or way of thinking that you previously held.

2) How did the challenges faced by European civilization in the 20^th century lead to the development of global institutions of cooperation?

3) “Hallmark Five: We Embrace The Gift Of Diversity.” In what way does Strayer’s textbook, Ways of the World, reflect Hallmark 5 of the SND de Namur?

http://www.ndnu.edu/about-us/hallmarks-of-a-notre-dame-de-namur-learning-community.aspx

4) Is 2013 best described as belonging to a colonial, post-colonial, supra-colonial or neo-colonial period? Why? Which of these terms did I make up?

5) Please review the bullet points for the major eras we have covered this semester, including the final – and controversial – items for the “Post-Modern” Era. Do you think we are moving into a new historical era? Do the items listed under the “Post-Modern Era” reflect the world we live in today and the future we seem to be working toward? Why or why not?

Paleolithic

1) We evolved as Homo sapiens

2) We used basic (old) stone tools (lithic = stone)

3) Socially, we formed ourselves into moving bands of gatherer-hunters

4) We migrated out of Africa to other continents

Neolithic

1) We outcompeted all other species of Homo

2) We used advanced (new) stone tools for more complex purposes

3) We formed ourselves into small, settled agricultural communities

4) All continents except Antarctica inhabited by Homo sapiens

Ancient

1) Homo sapiens competed with each other for wealth, power, status à social hierarchy

2) We developed more sophisticated technologies, including writing

3) Agricultural surpluses à specialization à civilizations & city-states

4) Interaction between humans from different continents increases due to trade

Classical

1) Competition for dominance between civilizations

2) Unique thinkers develop the seminal ideas that still define us as peoples

3) Formation of complex Empires & cosmopolitan urban centers

4) Political units arise which straddle more than one continent

Modern

1) Capitalism intensifies competition within and among peoples

2) Industrial Revolution multiplies human productivity and output

3) Development of Colonial Empires and relationships

4) Western European civilization asserts superiority over all others

Post-Modern?

1) Regulation of capitalism & cooperation among peoples

2) Environmental sustainability becomes a critical goal of technology

3) Government is increasingly global with emphasis on cooperation

4) Western European civilization recognizes co-equality of other peoples

Quiz 3 Study Guide

Summer World History – Quiz 3 Study Guide

1) What were the motives of Western European powers in colonizing the Americas?

2) Discuss the roots and development of Renaissance humanism.

3) Both 1348 and 1492 can be seen as pivotal years in the transition to the Modern Era. In what ways are these dates relevant?

4) What was The Great Dying? Why is a student of History more likely to encounter this term in a textbook published in 2009 than one published in 1969?

5) What was the role of capitalism in stimulating the European desire for colonies?

6) Discuss the events and significance of the Haitian Revolution.

7) What does Strayer mean by the “echoes of Atlantic Revolutions”?

8) How did the move from traditional forms of production to the "cash crop" system affect Africans under colonial rule?

9) The US Supreme Court’s June 2013 rulings on gay marriage cases reflect the achievement of Enlightenment ideals in a way that Enlightenment-era thinkers themselves probably never foresaw. Discuss.

10) Discuss the long term significance of the Industrial Revolution.

Link to the Hallmarks of the SND online

http://www.ndnu.edu/about-us/hallmarks-of-a-notre-dame-de-namur-learning-community.aspx

Is the US a force for good in the world? - Head to Head - Al Jazeera English

Is the US a force for good in the world? - Head to Head - Al Jazeera English

Study Guide for Quiz #2

 If you can respond to these questions in answers of approximately 5 minutes, you should do well on the quiz next week.

1) The Mongols got a bad rap. In fact, they were a significant civilization that made long-term contributions to the evolution of the Eurasian world. Discuss.

2) In what way does Islam highlight the reason why the entire period from 500 BC to 1400 AD should be considered the "Classical Era" from a World Historical point of view?

3) What were the Sand and Sea Roads? Were they as significant as the Silk Road?

4) In what sense did the Persian Empire bridge the Ancient and Classical worlds?

5) Who were the seminal thinkers of the Classical period? Write some details about one of them.

6) In what sense could it be said that Jesus and Buddha were revolutionary, while Confucius and the Hindu tradition were not?

7) Discuss the shifting centers of power in the Roman Empire during the Classical era.

8) The 15th Century marked a period of rebirth in China that was just as significant as the Renaissance in Europe. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?

9) By attempting to control free communications over the internet, China has increased its isolation relative to other countries along these “cyber roads.” In continuing along this path, China is repeating one of the mistakes of her past. Discuss.