From Lucy to Columbus

From Lucy to Columbus introduces students to some of the most important ideas and philosophies that have shaped our understanding of what it means to be human. Readers will travel through time from the prehistoric era to the great maritime revolution that united the Eastern and Western hemispheres for the first time in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Readers will discover stunning works of art, such as the cave paintings in Spain, Australia, and Southern France; the Egyptian Book of the Dead; the great Gothic cathedrals of France; the paintings of the Italian and Northern Renaissance; the astonishing mud mosques of Black Africa; and the miniatures of Ottoman Turkey. Students will live the lives of nomadic herders in the Eurasian steppes, travel by sea, and discover new worlds shaped by different ethical and legal codes. After reading the publication, readers will understand the role that ecology, geography, and biology played, and still play, in human history and appreciate the importance of religion and philosophy in individual and collective life. Most important, readers will understand the historical contexts behind many of today's current events and issues (e.g., the impact of religion and migration, the origins of our democratic values, and the history of various technologies that we take for granted today). From Lucy to Columbus is divided into eighteen Chapters that include PowerPoint outlines, maps, crosswords, matching games, in-class exercises, questions on documentary films, and newspaper articles. Enjoy this trip around the world!