HISTORY OF HUMAN SOCIETY pot

HISTORY OF HUMAN SOCIETY BY FRANK W. BLACKMAR PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS NEW YORK —— CHICAGO —— BOSTON ATLANTA —— SAN FRANCISCO Copyright, 1926, by CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS Printed in the United States of America PREFACE This book tells what we know of man, how he first lived, how he worked with other men, what kinds of houses he built, what tools he made, and how he formed a government under which to live. So we learn of the activities of men in the past and what they have passed on to us. In this way we may become acquainted with the different stages in the process which we call civilization. The present trend of specialization in study and research has brought about widely differentiated courses of study in schools and a large number of books devoted to special subjects. Each course of study and each book must necessarily represent but a fragment of the subject. This method of intensified study is to be commended; indeed, it is essential to the development of scientific truth. Those persons who can read only a limited number of books and those students who can take only a limited number of courses of study need books which present a connected survey of the movement of social progress as a whole, and which blaze a trail through the accumulation of learning, and give an adequate perspective of human achievement. It is hoped, then, that this book will form the basis of a course of reading or study that will give the picture in small compass of this most fascinating subject. If it serves its purpose well, it will be the introduction to more special study in particular fields or periods. That the story of this book may be always related more closely with the knowledge and experience of the individual reader, questions and problems have been added at the conclusion of each chapter, which may be used as subjects for {vi}discussion or topics for themes. For those who wish to pursue some particular phase of the subject a brief list of books has been selected which may profitably be read more intensively. F. W. B. {vii} CONTENTS PART I CIVILIZATION AND PROGRESS CHAPTER PAGE I. WHAT IS CIVILIZATION? 3 The human trail. Civilization may be defined. The material evidences of civilization are all around us. Primitive man faced an unknown world. Civilization is expressed in a variety of ways. Modern civilization includes some fundamentals. Progress an essential characteristic of civilization. Diversity is necessary to progress. What is the goal of civilized man? Possibilities of civilization. Civilization can be estimated. II. THE ESSENTIALS OF PROGRESS 18 How mankind goes forward on the trail. Change is not necessarily progress. Progress expresses itself in a variety of ideals and aims. Progress of the part and progress of the whole. Social progress involves individual development. Progress is enhanced by the interaction of groups and races. The study of uncultured races of to-day. The study of prehistoric types. Progress is indicated by early cultures. Industrial and social life of primitive man. Cultures indicate the mental development of the race. Men of genius cause mutations which permit progress. The data of progress. III. METHODS OF RECOUNTING HUMAN PROGRESS 35 Difficulty of measuring progress. Progress may be measured by the implements used. The development of art. Progress is estimated by economic stages. Progress is through the food- supply. Progress estimated by the different forms of social order. Development of family life. The growth of political life. Religion important in civilization. Progress through moral evolution. Intellectual development of man. Change from savagery to barbarism. Civilization includes all kinds of human progress. Table showing methods of recounting human progress. PART II FIRST STEPS OF PROGRESS IV. PREHISTORIC MAN 57 The origin of man has not yet been determined. Methods of recounting prehistoric time: (1) geologic method, (2) paleontology, (3) anatomy, (4) cultures. Prehistoric types of the human race. The unity of the human race. The primitive home of man may be determined in a general way. The antiquity of man is shown in racial differentiation. The evidences of man's ancient life in different localities: (1) caves, (2) shell mounds, (3) river and glacial drifts, (4) burial-mounds, (5) battle-fields and village sites, (6) lake-dwellings. Knowledge of man's antiquity influences reflective thinking. {viii} V. THE ECONOMIC FACTORS OF PROGRESS 82 The efforts of man to satisfy physical needs. The attempt to satisfy hunger and protect from cold. The methods of procuring food in primitive times. The variety of food was constantly increased. The food-supply was increased by inventions. The discovery and use of fire. Cooking added to the economy of the food-supply. The domestication of animals. The beginnings of agriculture were very meagre. The manufacture of clothing. Primitive shelters and houses. Discovery and use of metals. Transportation as a means of economic development. Trade, or exchange of goods. The struggle for existence develops the individual and the race. VI. PRIMITIVE SOCIAL LIFE 108 The character of primitive social life. The family is the most persistent of social origins. Kinship is a strong factor in social organization. The earliest form of social order. The reign of custom. The Greek and Roman family was strongly organized. In primitive society religion occupied a prominent place. Spirit worship. Moral conditions. Warfare and social progress. Mutual aid developed slowly. PART III SEATS OF EARLY CIVILIZATION VII. LANGUAGE AND ART AS A MEANS OF CULTURE AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 121 The origin of language has been a subject of controversy. Language is an important social function. Written language followed speech in order of development. Phonetic writing was a step in advance of the ideograph. The use of manuscripts and books made permanent records. Language is an instrument of culture. Art as a language of aesthetic ideas. Music is a form of language. The dance as a means of dramatic expression. The fine arts follow the development of language. The love of the beautiful slowly develops. VIII. THE INFLUENCE OF PHYSICAL NATURE ON HUMAN PROGRESS 141 Man is a part of universal nature. Favorable location is necessary for permanent civilization. The nature of the soil an essential condition of progress. The use of land the foundation of social order. Climate has much to do with the possibilities of progress. The general aspects of nature determine the type of civilization. Physical nature influences social order. IX. CIVILIZATION OF THE ORIENT 152 The first nations with historical records in Asia and Africa. Civilization in Mesopotamia. Influences coming from the Far East. Egypt becomes a centre of civilization. The coming of the Semites. The Phoenicians became the great navigators. A comparison of the Egyptian and Babylonian empires. The Hebrews made a permanent contribution to world civilization. The civilization of India and China. The coming of the Aryans. X. THE ORIENTAL TYPE OF CIVILIZATION 170 The governments of the early Oriental civilizations. War existed for conquest and plunder. Religious belief was an important factor in despotic {ix}government. Social organization was incomplete. Economic influences. Records, writing, and paper. The beginnings of science were strong in Egypt, weak in Babylon. The contribution to civilization. XI. BEGINNINGS OF CIVILIZATION IN AMERICA 186 America was peopled from the Old World. The Incas of Peru. Aztec civilization in Mexico. The earliest centres of civilization in Mexico. The Pueblo Indians of the Southwest. The Mound- Builders of the Mississippi Valley. Other types of Indian life. Why did the civilization of America fail? PART IV WESTERN CIVILIZATION XII. THE OLD GREEK LIFE 205 The old Greek life was the starting-point of Western civilization. The Aegean culture preceded the coming of the Greeks. The Greeks were of Aryan stock. The coming of the Greeks. Character of the primitive Greeks. Influence of old Greek life. XIII. GREEK PHILOSOPHY 215 The transition from theology to inquiry. Explanation of the universe by observation and inquiry. The Ionian philosophy turned the mind toward nature. The weakness of Ionian philosophy. The Eleatic philosophers. The Sophists. Socrates the first moral philosopher (b. 469 B. C.). Platonic philosophy develops the ideal. Aristotle the master mind of the Greeks. Other schools. Results obtained in Greek philosophy. XIV. THE GREEK SOCIAL POLITY 229 The struggle for Greek equality and liberty. The Greek government an expanded family. Athenian government a type of Grecian democracy. Constitution of Solon seeks a remedy. Cleisthenes continues the reforms of Solon. Athenian democracy failed in obtaining its best and highest development. The Spartan state differs from all others. Greek colonization spreads knowledge. The conquests of Alexander. Contributions of Greece to civilization. XV. ROMAN CIVILIZATION 250 The Romans differed in nature from the Greeks. The social structure of early Rome and that of early Greece. Civil organization of Rome. The struggle for liberty. The development of government. The development of law is the most remarkable phase of the Roman civilization. Influence of the Greek life on Rome. Latin literature and language. Development of Roman art. Decline of the Roman Empire. Summary of Roman civilization. XVI. THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION 268 Important factors in the foundation of Western civilization. The social contacts of the Christian religion. Social conditions at the beginning of the Christian era. The contact of Christianity with social life. Christianity influenced the legislation of the times. Christians come into conflict with civil authority. The wealth of the church accumulates. Development of the hierarchy. Attempt to dominate the temporal powers. Dogmatism. The church becomes the conservator of knowledge. Service of Christianity. {x} XVII. TEUTONIC INFLUENCE ON CIVILIZATION 281 The coming of the barbarians. Importance of Teutonic influence. Teutonic liberty. Tribal life. Classes of society. The home and the home life. Political assemblies. General social customs. The economic life. Contributions to law. XVIII. FEUDAL SOCIETY 294 Feudalism a transition of social order. There are two elementary sources of feudalism. The feudal system in its developed state based on land-holding. Other elements of feudalism. The rights of sovereignty. The classification of feudal society. Progress of feudalism. State of society under feudalism. Lack of central authority in feudal society. Individual development in the dominant group. XIX. ARABIAN CONQUEST AND CULTURE 304 The rise and expansion of the Arabian Empire. The religious zeal of the Arab-Moors. The foundations of science and art. The beginnings of chemistry and medicine. Metaphysics and exact [...]... Summary of progress BIBLIOGRAPHY 504 INDEX 509 {3} PART I CIVILIZATION AND PROGRESS HISTORY OF HUMAN SOCIETY CHAPTER I WHAT IS CIVILIZATION? The Human Trail.—The trail of human life beginning in the mists of the past, winding through the ages and stretching away toward an unknown future, is a subject of perennial interest and worthy of profound thought No other great subject so invites the attention of. .. processes of society The social individual The ethnic form of society The territorial group The national group founded on race expansion The functions of new groups Great society and the social order Great society protects voluntary organizations The widening influence of the church Growth of religious toleration Altruism and democracy Modern society a machine of great complexity Interrelation of different... effect of humanism on social manners Relation of humanism to science and philosophy The study of the classics became fundamental in education General influence of humanism {xi} XXIV THE REFORMATION 375 The character of the Reformation Signs of the rising storm Attempts at reform within the church Immediate causes of the Reformation Luther was the hero of the Reformation in Germany Zwingli was the hero of. .. Estimated.—This brief presentation of the meaning of civilization reveals the fact that civilization can be recounted; that it is a question of fact and philosophy that can be measured It is the story of human progress and {17}the causes which made it It presents the generalizations of all that is valuable in the life of the race It is the epitome of the history of humanity in its onward sweep In its... involves the whole process of human achievement, it must admit of a great variety of qualities and degrees of development, hence it appears to be a relative term applied to the variation of human life Thus, the Japanese are highly civilized along special lines of hand work, hand industry, and hand art, as well as being superior in some phases of family relationships So we might say of the Chinese, the East... Influence of Charlemagne The attitude of the church was retrogressive Scholastic philosophy marks a step in progress Cathedral and monastic schools The rise of universities Failure to grasp scientific methods Inventions and discoveries The extension of commerce hastened progress XXIII HUMANISM AND THE REVIVAL OF LEARNING 364 The discovery of manuscripts Who were the humanists? Relation of humanism to... development of the human race, the development of man, especially his growth of brain power It may consider man's adaptation to environment under different phases of life It may consider the efficiency of bodily structure In a cultural sense, progress may refer to the products of the industrial arts, or to the development of fine arts, or the advancement of religious life and belief—in fact, to the mastery of. .. the great masses of the people to a higher plane of living, but the fruits of the lives of these superiors were handed on to other groups to utilize, and they are not without influence {23}over the whole human group of to-day So, too, the religious mystic philosophy and literature of India represented a high state of mental development, but the products of its existence left the races of India in darkness... expanse of the unfilled prairies Here were no accumulations of wealth, no signs of human habitation, except a few Indians wandering in groups or assembled in their wigwam villages The evidences of art and industry were meagre, and of accumulated knowledge small, because the natives were still the children of nature and had gone but a little way in the mastery of physical forces or in the accumulation of. .. with these two methods of development must {24}be the discovery of the use of the human mind evidenced by the beginning of reflective thought It is said by some writers that we are still largely in the age of instincts and emotions and have just recently entered the age of reason Such positive statements should be considered with a wider vision of life, for one cannot conceive of civilization at all . of sovereignty. The classification of feudal society. Progress of feudalism. State of society under feudalism. Lack of central authority in feudal society. . PROGRESS HISTORY OF HUMAN SOCIETY CHAPTER I WHAT IS CIVILIZATION? The Human Trail.—The trail of human life beginning in the mists of the past,