Comparison with conventional History

Comparison with conventional history

Big History examines the past using numerous time scales, from the Big Bang to modernity,^[4] unlike conventional history courses which typically begin with the introduction of farming and civilization,^[15] or with the beginning of written records. It explores common themes and patterns.^[10] Courses generally do not focus on humans until more than halfway through,^[7] and, unlike conventional history courses, there is not much focus on kingdoms or civilizations or wars or national borders.^[7] If conventional history focuses on human civilization with humankind at the center, Big History focuses on the universe and shows how humankind fits within this framework^[16]and places human history in the wider context of the universe's history.^[17][18]

Conventional history often begins with the development of agriculture in civilizations such as Ancient Egypt.

Control of fire by early humanspredating both agriculture and civilization

Unlike conventional history, Big History tends to go rapidly through detailed historical eras such as the Renaissanceor Ancient Egypt.^[19] It draws on the latest findings from biology,^[4]astronomy,^[4] geology,^[4] climatology, prehistory, archaeology, anthropology, evolutionary biology, chemistry, psychology, hydrology, geography, paleontology, ancient history, physics, economics,^[4] cosmology,^[4] natural history, and population and environmental studies as well as standard history.^[20] One teacher explained:

We're taking the best evidence from physics and the best evidence from chemistry and biology, and we're weaving it together into a story ... They're not going to learn how to balance [chemical] equations, but they're going to learn how the chemical elements came out of the death of stars, and that's really interesting.

— ^[10]