Prehistoria: cómo era el mundo antes de la “civilización” (Historia universal)

Because written history begins with civilizations all over the world already in place, we need to know how they got there! Using geography, archaeology, anthropology, and science hand-in-hand with history, we are going to get a really good idea of what took our nomadic ancestors from moving for food sources to the invention of agriculture and the domestication of animals. But it is so much more than just this. The change in community, in tasks (usually gender-based), in diet, and in physical and behavioral adaptations were just as important. 

We will use maps, video clips, and slides to present the information. No 3rd party accounts are needed, as the video clips (from YouTube and UNESCO World Heritage; academic, thus, no rating) are part of the slide show. We will look at prehistoric archaeological sites in modern-day Turkey and Greece, hominids, cave paintings, and various prehistoric tools that pushed our ancestors closer to modern humans. More so, we will discuss what makes a civilization, and what each one needs to thrive. We will talk about the Great Migration out of Africa, and how the planet was populated. 

This is a lecture-based class, but I heartily encourage students to interact with me and other students to facilitate the discussion of their own ideas and theories. I firmly believe education is a conversation. The more they are able to talk through ideas and concepts, the more they retain. No previous experience or knowledge is required.