History

American History
World History
History of Science
History of Technology
Social Evolution

A brief history of the human race

Diverged from our common ancestor of other apes around 5 million years ago, went bipedal 2.5 million years ago, invented the hand axe 1.2 million years ago, stumbled onto agriculture about 10,000 years ago. Quickly developed civilization, large hierarchical power structures, organized religion, armies, wars, epidemics, slavery. Polytheistic religions from to , which gave way to monotheistic religions which gave dignity to individuals, regardless of where they stood in the social hierarchy. But then the monotheistic religion, which was supposed to break the power structure of the hierarchies ended up establishing its own hierarchy: the Roman Catholic Church. Destruction of knowledge, the Dark Ages, followed by the rise of science, the Renaissance, new communication technology (the printing press) which enabled Enlightenment and an Industrial Revolution which is continuing to this day. Now power takes the form of corporations. Power always finds a way to exert itself. It reinforces itself. Power, by definition, is the ability to force one’s will upon structures and other people. And one often has the will to acquire more power.