Welcome to the AP World History. You will be using this blog on occasion, usually to have discussions around your reading assignments. If you have not used a blog before, take some time to click around and get used to using the blog. Remember, you can always ask questions! You will often be asked your opinion and often be asked to respond to someone else's comment. Let's start!
1) Scan or read through the article (your choice) on "Big History" by David Christian.
2) Why do you think Big History is important?
3) Respond to at least one other person's comment
4) Make sure to leave your name at the bottom of your post
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Task: Why do you think Big History is important?
ReplyDeleteAccording to the article, big history surveys the past on all possible scales, beginning with the origins of the universe and ending now. There are three common themes in Big History which implies to World History, and they are: Social Complexity, Intellectual Networks, and Increasing Control of the Biosphere's energy and resources. Basically, the first theme deals with the tremendous complexity of human history and modern human society. The second theme links with our intellectual and cultural history. One way we can perceive is through collective learning which is the study of how humans have shared information in ways that allow them to gradually accumulate more powerful ways of extracting energy and resources from their environment. Lastly, the final theme relates to the energy and resource flows that were made possible by collective learning, which allows the buildup of the extreme complexity that characterizes our species today. These three themes ties together and form Big History for World History. This is important because big history can help us understand world history in overall perspective.
- Alice Mungyu
I do agree that big history can help understand world history as a overall perspective, but it can also teach students other things such as how the world was created even before world history started. It's almost like a mix between a social studies and science class because it has to do with the history of earth but it also does with the study of cosmetology. So yes it doesn't help understand world history as a whole, but it also helps teach what happened before world history actually began i believe.
Deletechristopher petronella
Alice I agree with you and I like how you mentioned the different themes of the Big History. Also your mention of collective learning which I myself find the most important theme that you mentioned is collective learning. When it comes to originality of some things it can be shown that many things were copied from other creatures or things, like how most alphabets are similar, its because people take snip its from other people, in history, or who have had it longer then them
Delete-Samanth Aversano
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DeleteI agree with all of you guys,(for some reason i cant post my own post) Big history is finding the big picture of the whole story. Big history helps look for all the ideas of the start of the universe from the big bang. It helps us have an understanding of prior history which links it to World History as well. Big History is important so we know the things that have occurred in the past. Learning from the past will helps us not to repeat history.
Delete-Nicole Albino
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ReplyDeleteWhy do you think Big History is important?
ReplyDeleteI think big history is important because not only does it teach history such as you would in a normal history class, but it also gets everything even before anything ever happened, such as the big bang theory and other creation myths on how us humans got to earth, which is important because it can help us how everything started which could lead to world history as well. So not only does it teach about world history, it goes farther than that with even a deeper analysis as a whole.
Christopher Petronella
(understand) between us and how
DeleteYes, I agree with you. That's why its essential for us to understand big history because it tries to look at the past on scales, and go further, up to the largest scales of all, those of cosmology.
DeleteChristopher, I agree with what you are saying. Big history is much more broader that regular world history since it explains how the universe was created, and how us, humans, as a species, learned to survive on the planet Earth.
DeleteWhy do you think Big History is important?
ReplyDelete'Big History' is important because as humans we should know what's happened in the past. That is what Big History allows us to do, because its from all the way back to the big bang till the present day. Its good that we know the worlds history, so we can reproduce or improve a certain situation mankind has been in that may come up again. Taking the big bang for example the only living things around at that time were animals and so there was no way of them knowing about a giant meteor coming to the planet. Either way they wouldn't be able to stop it, but because we know giant space rocks could possible kill us, we created things to help the human race stop a meteor from killing many people, or the whole race in general.
-Samantha Aversano
I like how you got the definition of Big History right on the dot, bullseye! and i like how you talked about the big bang as an example ! Good job !
Delete1) Scan or read through the article (your choice) on "Big History" by David Christian.
ReplyDelete2) Why do you think Big History is important?
I believe Big History is important because it includes ALL of history, not just a unit or a section or even a topic of a small civilization/government. Its all of history from the beginning of creation and up until this very second. This includes all the major breakthroughs such as vaccines and cures for diseases to the black death, wars, civilizations like the Romans. The starting of the United States government, the presidents, congress, first note of money, everything is big history. The range just keeps getting wider and broader as much as you think about it ! Big History should never be neglected because in fact, it is the most interesting and amazing topic of history! It tells more than you can ever learn in a U.S History or Global history class because theres so much information in it and it never stops growing.
- Mohammed Kazmi 9/11/13
I totally agree with your point of view. The facts you brought up were very well written. Big history is a major type of history/ science due to it's range in form, just as you brought up. The information will continue on as years go by and the discoveries will be endless.
DeleteI totally agree with you too Mohammed, the facts were well written, and big history like you said never stops growing and expanding which i think is pretty awesome.
DeleteBig History has much importance due to the fact that it is the beginning of all history including each topic in history or other subjects. Without the basics of every type of history or science form, there would be nothing to add, compare on, or improve. Most of the major discoveries involving big history changed the world and developed it in a way like no other. It is also very important to teach these life changing events to students since every person should be aware of the foundations of certain topics such as earth being created or the start to the Unites States as whole. Big History takes the basics to a larger scale and enhances the information we already know. The information in this subject is endless as well as a necessity since it takes regular history and transforms it into something bigger.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Big History is very important due to the fact that it includes each topic of history from World History, but it also includes how the universe came to existence. Big History shouldn't be ignored because if students don't know what happened before World History, then how are they going to be able to learn about the present? It takes regular history as a whole and includes the creation of our universe and how the Earth was created.
ReplyDeleteEmmanuel Damanakis
I agree with you Emmanuel, that big history help widen the subject on the begging of earth itself so students can be able to connect with our present. Learning big history will help students understand our present and widen the knowledge of the past as well
Delete-Tina Maria Kouridakis
I believe Big History is important because it doesn't just start with a civilization and settlers, it's starts with the Big Bang theory, the beginning of history itself. The students just sitting learning about Big History are able to let their eyes be open to the travels, perspectives and ideas from the beginning to the present day of history in a "rush" of billions of years, like time travel but in your seat...at school. With view everything from the beginning, we, the students, learn how one was able to improve a situation and from their view, change history in order to help the development of the human race. We were able to create small technology's to help us through the day and even do the impossible by sending a man to the moon and have them also see the world from a new perspective. That is why I believe Big history is important, it does not only open the eyes of the students, yet expands their minds in creativity and imagination.
ReplyDelete-Tina Maria Kouridakis
I like how we both thought it was important how the Big HIstory started with the Big Bang theory. I also like how you talked about how it is shaping students to become more creative and imaginative.
DeleteI agree with Tina. Big history will change the perspective and ideas of students so that they are interested in history. This will later help open student's minds and expand their creativity and imagination helping change society. Big history will never end, the students that learn big history will later add on to history.
DeleteAgain, this is Emily's comment. I'm just posting this because Emily is having some technical difficulties.
DeleteI agree with Tina, big history is important and keeps students intrested since it is a topic that many students haven't learned yet. It will boarder their horizons and give them a new topic to learn. A topic about the world and the beginning of time and by them having this knowledge they will understand more about the world and the universe. Students would benefit from this and can have more knowledge along with the rest of their history careers as a high school or college student.
I agree with you Tina because big history isn't just with civilizations its more than that. Starting from the big bang students know more about how things originated and from knowing what happened in the start we are able to improve a situation. I like how you also mentioned an example of the man on the moon with the use of technology.
DeleteBig History is important because it teaches students the history not just of how our world came to be, but how the universe first started. The big bang theory is included in big history which includes teaching students science as well and by learning this can change the student's view point on history all together. By learning big history students can widen their view point on history and how society has came to be today, and can help expand and advance our future.
ReplyDelete-Samantha Ubertini
i agree with you because history isnt just about major wars and mindless memorization, its about creating connections and changing peoples point of views on things they didnt even know connected, making us expand to new horizons and not just a paper and pen.
DeleteI that big history is very important because starts at the beginning beginning which is the Big Bang theory. Big history includes everything that you need to know about the world and that is helping us students because it gives us a explanation of why things happened the way the did or why people did what they did. This will also help the worlds future because it history tells us what to do if the event reoccurs. It also tells us students how people reacted when certain things occurred and if those things were positive then we should act like them, but if it was negative we can work on their mistakes.
ReplyDelete-Dominique Cachia
Hi Dominque! I completely agree with your response and I feel that "Big History" really gives us a sense of who we are and how we got to this stage in life. As you mentioned in your response, "Big History" really gives us an idea of where we fit in this world and it sums up everything from the Big Bang to the present day. Great Job!
DeleteI agree with your response and feel that Big History informs everyone of how we developed and evolutionized to the advanced stage we are in this present day. It gives us an idea of where we all came from and gives us a sense of where we all belong
Delete~Amada
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ReplyDeleteBig history is important, not only for the information it provides, but also due to the fact that Big History will allow everyone to see not only specifics of history, but a larger more complex version that seems to elude us, starting all the way back from the origin of existence and crossing multiple themes that are key to the view we may develop about our world and societies during our lives as students. It will allow us to enhance our knowledge of things we already know or begin our knowledge facing a whole new level of complexity and allowing us to enter a new transformation of information given to us by this strategy. Big History is important because it doesn’t just cover one topic as other classes have done, it showers us with more and more information and really connects every aspect of history and gives us a grand overall picture that helps us create thoughts and ideas of our own our regular knowledge of history couldn’t have helped us achieve.
ReplyDeleteadva fuchs
Adva I agree with you when you say that Big History is a lot more complex than just the specifics that we are taught because it goes much deeper into the past than what we have ever learned. Nice job explaining it.
DeleteWhy do you think Big History is important?
ReplyDelete"Big History" is important because it isn't just small parts or sections of history but rather the sum of all these small bits and pieces that makes up history from the dawn of time to present day. Big History allows us to think outside our world's history and really go back in time to see how complex human advancement really is. Additionally Big History shows us that there is much more to history then you can ever learn and it really gives us a sense of meaning and belonging in this world.
-Raj Vaidya 9/11/13
I agree. Only in the last century or so has human advancement created such a big spike and in Big History that is a small detail in the billions of history that no one bothers to learn anymore.
DeleteWhy do you think ‘Big History’ is important?
ReplyDelete‘Big History’ is important because it not only includes all of the events which occurred from the creation of the universe all the way to present day, but also helps show the different point-of-views or perspectives all the way starting from the origins of the universe. This teaches the students to “… see familiar things in unfamiliar ways”, as stated verbatim in the article, or in other words, lose the narrow-mindedness and become open to new ideas, traditions, and things that would otherwise be considered taboo. In a nutshell, ‘Big History’ is important because it saves the textbook curriculum for another class, and instead teaches students to think creatively and outside the box while simultaneously taking in different perspectives to better their understanding of history.
-Ruchi Vaidya
I agree with your post and I liked how you quoted that line from the text and put it in your own words. That is exactly how I look at it, not being so narrow minded. Very good-Jasmin
DeleteWhy do you think Big History is important?
ReplyDelete“Big History” is the study of the past as far as billions of years ago. It focuses on several matters,such as: the source of the Universe to the unknown future. I think Big History is important for students who want to compare and contrast the origin of the Universe,science, with their faith,God. In other words, if human existence because of evolution or because of a creator.
Jasmine, I completely agree with your comment, especially when you state, “…Big History is important for students who want to compare and contrast the origin of the Universe, science, with their faith, God.” Big History helps us see the big picture and helps us see everything from the origins of the universe to present day in a different perspective, and that is why Big History is so crucial.
DeleteThe one right above is me Jasmine Tejada
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think Big History is important?
ReplyDeleteBig History is SOOO important it helps us learn from our passed mistakes and also not do and make the same mistakes over again. Big History is a huge range between Mathematics, Science, History, etc. This can be very important for students and other people to know about and keep on growing, making it an even BIGGER HISTORY. History itself never stops growing, like what it says on the History channel, "history is made every day". Big History also allows us to learn about other cultures and interpret it in our own ways, to help and spread and use it our own lives and ways.
- Christopher Dadic
Emily is unable to post because the blog won't allow her to, so I am posting this behalf of her technical difficulties.
ReplyDeleteBig history is a significant topic because it doesn't teach from thousands of years ago, but instead teaches from billions and billions of years ago. It teaches from the big bang theory all the way to the present. Big history digs deeper than world history. World history teaches state,countries, and the world in a general state, but big history teaches it on a bigger scale. It's the universe that big history is all about. Big history has a lot to do with cosmology, astronomy, biology, and so much more. Big history teaches about how the world was made, how humans ended up on earth, and other questions that would make you head boggle. Big history is very significant because it teaches us about us and our planet. Those are the reasons why big history is important.
- Emily Clark
I believe that the Big History is important to our lives because it shows us that us as humans aren't as big as we make ourselves out to be. The world started billions of years ago and yet only in the last century or so have we started to show ourselves in a big way. Big History starts with the big bang theory and proceeds from there. It makes them view the world and history from a different perspective, one that they wouldn't get in most places. Big History makes us think of the world in how it plays into the rest of the universe. Without that thinking, we go on believing that we are the center of the world not unlike how Ptolemy believed us to once be.
ReplyDeleteThis is Markella Giannakopoulos by the way
DeleteI agree with you Markella when you say that Big History makes us see that we aren't as big as most people think. We are all just a small part in the circle of life but our past helps us better our future so we understand ourselves better and know what best to do. Like you said, we aren't the center of the world like people believed in the past.
Delete- Laina Vitarelli
I believe the idea of Big History is important because of the fact that it's looking at everything from a new and different perspective. The article talked about complexity a lot and to me that's what Big History is, it's a more complex way of looking at the similarities and differences in human societies based on past occurrences. Being able to see and understand history from not just one point of view can be hard but beneficial. If you can look at another society and really see who they are, where they came from, and why they do the things they do without being biased or judgmental it can lead to nothing but good. Big History shows us how we all play into being a part of the bigger picture, which happens to be the universe and that's something everyone should know.
ReplyDelete- Laina Vitarelli
Laina, I agree with you on how you said that Big history has a bigger and an intricate way of comparing and contrasting how the human race and societies had once lived. It helps us understand the big picture on how everything once was and why they are this way in this day and age. Just like you said, we are part of a bigger picture.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBig History is important in our lives because it allows us to see how the world had changed. It allows us to see the different perspectives and views on how the world was created. For students of who ever reads Big history it allows us to go past the textbooks and dig deeper into things we wouldn't going in depth about. It goes back billions of years to help us see the world in a new light. Without having history we would lack the essential facts needed to compare, improve and better our future. Big history takes the knowledge we have and expands it by advancing the facts we know. It tells us how the universe was created with different opinion. By knowing where something came from, how it change/ evolved it helps us understand why things are they way they are today. This helps us be open minded about all we know. Big history helps us understand history with a new point of view and deeper meaning to it.
ReplyDeleteIts Michelle by the way ^
DeleteI agree with you Michelle. I agree with you because big history is what shows us how the world has changed. I like how you said that big history expands our knowledge, due to that we can grow as people. Since it all gives us new perspectives on the world around us and the land we've been on.
DeleteBig History is important because it helps us think much further past the history of just the world itself and can open people's minds to a much wider perspective. As read in the article, "Big history tries to look at the past on all scales, from those of conventional history up to those of cosmology." Basically it teaches more than just the basic knowledge of the world. Big History teaches how the universe was developed and how it became to the point it is today.
ReplyDelete-Anastasia Papatheodorou
I agree when you say that it gives you more than just "basic knowledge of the world"
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBig History is important due to the fact that it has the power to change our beliefs by expanding them. Big History takes the information we all ready know, adds to it or makes us see it from a different perspective. If it wasn't for Big History how our world began would be mostly lost, but we have all of this information from then and now. All the information from the past helps for a better present and future. Therefore, Big History is important because it shows us beyond what we know, all while showing how unique our existence is.
ReplyDelete- Melanie Carmona
Melanie, I agree with what you have commented about the Big History. I liked how you said that it has the power to change our beliefs by expanding them. This is very true because it does seem to play a huge part and have the power to change something.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBig history is important because it teaches us not just a part, but goes back to the past of how the world was and how it has become the world it is today. Big history might already have events or facts that we may already know such as the Big Bang theory, but in Big history it seems to teach us the core of that place or an event. If it wasn't for Big History, we might not have had the chance to learn what we learn in world history now. So Big History is important because it plays a huge part in teaching us the history of the world.
ReplyDelete-Da Hae Jung-
Big History is important because it goes all the way back in time, and is extremely descriptive and goes on every aspect of world history, and theories. As said in the article, "Big history tries to look at the past on all scales, from those of conventional history up to those of cosmology.", Big history in a sense is an old way of teaching history. It goes all they way to the creation of earth along with big bang,galaxies and stars,and even more."Big history can help us see familiar things in new ways." It is as well significantly important because it makes our beliefs much larger, and makes us view it in a whole other perspective. It teaches us knowledge of the world/universe in a much deeper meaning, and explains how it becomes to the modern day world. It emphasizes that it is something all of us should have knowledge on. Therefore, big history is much important because it makes us view the history of the world in a different way.
ReplyDelete*Brenda Montero
Brenda I completely agree with you. I like how you gave reason and how you used quotes from the article to back up your statement.
DeleteWhy do you think Big History is important?
ReplyDeleteBig history is very important for many reasons. “Big history is when you look at the past on an even bigger scale.” Therefore, this gives us the knowledge to know many more things and helps us get a better understanding of the world. What we learn can always be looked at from a different angle, or point of view. Big history helps us look at things from a different perspective and point of view on how we look at the world today. Having the ability to see things on a bigger scale is very important.
-Yura Shin
I agree with you yura, mostly on the fact that big history is mainly teaching of the knowledge of the world and how the whole universe was developed, and seeing things in a larger scale is important.
Delete*Brenda Montero
I completely agree with your response as you mention the importance of perspectives and I like how ou included a quote from the article! :)
DeleteI agree, I like how you mentioned "looking at things from a different perspective" because it helps us understand their view, and it makes it make more sense after we see the other side of the story.
DeleteBig History can be described as cosmology put into perspective, which is very crucial in order to successfully grasp the full concept of world history. Big history covers every thing from the start of the universe to present day. Studying what has happened in the past with the world and how we've come to be what we are today can prepare or even help us brace ourselves of what they future may have in store. By learning what happens in our history can also further our knowledge of precautions that may be taken to help restrain from occurring a second time.
ReplyDelete-Harvind Japra
I like your idea of cosmology placed into perspective. It is a huge spectrum placed in front of us, and it has partially directed our actions as human beings since the beginning of our own existence. With more technological advancements into astronomy, we can look deeper into this great field and perhaps one day answer the fateful question "Why are we here?"
DeleteI think big history is important because it shows us the origins of the human race as a whole. Studying the human race from its origin will help us understand the way of life since the universe began. We can learn from what humans succeeded in and also comprehend our mistakes since the beginning of time. We could use success from the past and model it to help prevent mistakes from the future.
ReplyDelete-Alejandro Correia
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Delete"prevent mistakes in the future" my bad
DeleteI agree that big history allows us to get a better perspective of the origins of life, but it does more than that, it gives us a perspective of the origins of EVERYTHING. Big history will allow us to answer every question about anything and it can teach us more than what only our world has to teach.
DeleteI think Big History is important because it tells us what happens in the past. It shows the origin of how things really began. Knowing the origin is important because it leads to other events making sense. Which is basically how we learn today. If we don't know what happen previously, the event that follows won't make sense. Also looking at something in a different view helps us understand how others felt. Knowing the other side of the story makes it easier to understand because they have their reasons of doing something which we might not understand.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI agree with you Jason. Knowledge of the origin of history is crucial to the knowledge of history in general. I also agree that knowing a different viewpoint of a story makes things easier to understand how people felt at that time and what actually happened.
Delete- Jordan
Big History is a massive collection of what occurred before us, an even huger scope than what we could call 'Global' history over the past six thousand years - while Big History stretches past six BILLION years. We are just specks in this massive universe of creation, and our time is only a figurative millisecond in the seemingly endless expansion of the Big Bang and it's particles of life. Big History explains how things function from the beginning, and we should always think beyond our own planet - such an example could include the asteroid that killed off the dinosaurs - it did not originate from our own planet, and it was a work of the stars above us. Cosmology has influenced our species greatly, from our religion, to our studies of mining asteroids for minerals in the future.
ReplyDeleteBig history is the collection of all information of what we know in World history and all history outside of our world. It shows our origins from the big bang and follows us into the present day. This way of thinking is very important, because it is an attempt to embrace all origins rather than just one. It follows how everything has evolved over the last 7 billion years rather than the 7000 years that we are taught in global history. This type of history allows us to view everything on a larger scale and instead of just comparing society to society, we are given the ability to compare worlds to worlds. The inclusion of cosmology is one of the most important aspects of our lives from the past to now.We look to the stars for answers and when we are able to learn more from space than from our tiny world. There's a reason we know more about space than our own ocean, and that's because cosmology gives us answers to some of lifes toughest questions, such as the biggest one of all: why do we exist?. That is why Big history is important.
ReplyDelete-Zach
Why do you think big history is important?
ReplyDeleteBig history is the mass collection of everything we know about the world ever, viewed on a much much grander scale than as we view it now. Big history is important because it gives people a much broader knowledge of history and much more knowledge, spanning up to billions of years of history being covered. It helps changes the perspectives of people learning, or re-learning this history, and makes you think universally instead of just globally. Big history makes you question everything that was never to be questioned before, and makes you question things that have been thought about and researched year after year and tries to give you a better understanding of the untouched by man land. It makes our world look like a blemish on the radar compared to everything else there is to learn out there, and makes our learning process and interest level in the history of not just what occurs IN the world, but why and how everything else around it occurs as well.
-Faith
Why do you think big history is important?
ReplyDeleteBig history is a vast combination of knowledge on the world. It is also important because it shows the many different viewpoints all throughout history. Literally everything in the world of history is covered in Big History which means all key events in history. It helps people learn the difference between viewpoints of two opposite countries. An example would be two countries fighting in a war. Big History also assists people who seek the knowledge of history in a bigger aspect. Big History makes the learner think more about history and really the meaning of life and time and how long has it existed. This is why I think Big History is important.
-Jordan
Why do you think big history is important?
ReplyDeleteBig History is important because it is the sum of all our history not just as separate civilizations but as a human race from the dawn of time until present day, this lets us consider our past, our mistakes, our triumphs, all as a united society. It is critical tghat we know our world's history that in case we come across reoccurring situations we know in which ways to act, or which mistakes not to make for a second time to come to a solution. History is especially important at it very beginning, if we all comprehend that we came from the same place then we can realize almost how similar everyone's history is.
~ Amada Guapisaca
Why do you think big history is important?
ReplyDeleteA lot is learned by looking at history and big history is important because it looks at the past in a bigger scale. Big history starts from how the world was created with the big bang through the present day. Studying what happened in the past with the use of cosmology gives us an explanation of why things happened and how they occurred. Without the knowledge of the past we wouldn't be able to improve mistakes made or prevent mistakes done before. Big history makes us see what we already know from a different point of view. Without Big history we would know how things started and the deeper meaning to all of it.
-Samantha Bustamante
I agree that big history is also important and tells everyone about their past and what happened during it.
DeleteBig History is important because people need to know about the history of their world how it evolved, different kinds of civilizations, famous wars or battles and many more things. It lets us see our past mistakes and victories. It gives us a different point of view on things from the past and how we would act if anything from the past happened in the present again. With Big history people in the world wouldn't know how the world evolved and how similar everyone's history can be if u look at the deeper meaning of big history.
ReplyDelete