The Big History of Civilizations

Overview

Course No. 8060

Trace humanity’s epic journey from early hunter-gatherers to modern global societies using cutting-edge “big history” methods.

This 36-lecture course, taught by Professor Craig G. Benjamin, takes a revolutionary multidisciplinary approach to human history. Unlike traditional surveys focused on dates and battles, we examine civilizations through the lenses of:

• Climate and geography

• Social complexity

• Technological innovation

• Cultural exchange

From Mesopotamia to Mesoamerica, from the Agricultural Revolution to the Digital Age, discover how interconnected patterns shaped our world.

Video Lessons

Foundations (Lectures 1-6)

• A Tale of Two Ancient Cities (30 min) – Jericho and Anau as case studies

• The Rise of Humanity (29 min) – From proto-humans to Homo sapiens

3. Foraging in the Old Stone Age (31 min) – Paleolithic life and migration

• Origins of Agriculture (31 min) – The Neolithic Revolution

• Power, Cities, and States (30 min) – Early urban development

• The Era of Agrarian Civilizations (30 min) – 5,000 years of patterns

Ancient Civilizations (Lectures 7-22)

7. Innovations of Mesopotamia (31 min) – Sumerian breakthroughs

8. The Downfall of Sumer (31 min) – Babylonians to Assyrians

9-10. Egypt: Divine Rule (30/31 min) – Pharaohs and pyramids

• Early Mediterranean Civilizations (30 min) – Phoenicians to Mycenaeans

12-13. Mysteries of South Asia (30/30 min) – Indus Valley to Mauryans

14-15. China’s Isolated Rise (29/29 min) – Shang to Han dynasties

16-17. Nomads and Empires (30/30 min) – Steppe cultures to Persia

18-20. Greek Golden Age (30/29/29 min) – Democracy to Hellenism

21-22. Rome’s Republic to Empire (29/29 min) – Caesar to Christianity

Global Connections (Lectures 23-36)

• Silk Road Exchange (30 min) – Han Dynasty trade networks

• Eurasian Chaos (30 min) – Post-Roman/Han transitions

• Islamic Expansion (30 min) – Mohammed to Golden Age

26. Legacy of the Mongols (29 min) – Pax Mongolia

27-29. Americas (29/29/29 min) – Iroquois to Incas

30-31. Africa and Pacific (30/31 min) – Mali to Polynesia

32-36. Modernity and Beyond (30/30/30/29/31 min) – Industrial Revolution to future scenarios