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EVENTS OF WORLD HISTORYA

Documentation of Brief Historical Accounts of World Events

From the distant past to the present

Compiled & edited by RABI ROY, the blogger

This work is dedicated to the laborers, artisans, agricultural workers, and craftsmen, as well as the countless unnamed innovators and inventors, whose tireless efforts and sacrifices have shaped civilizations, even if their names are not recorded in history books.

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Difference between Earth and World in the English language: The terms "earth" and "world" have distinct meanings in the English language. "Earth" refers to the physical planet we inhabit, while "world" can denote a broader range of concepts, including other planets, human society, and even the universe. The distinction is important as it affects how the terms are used in various contexts, from geography to philosophy and literature. In this document, we have used the word 'world’ in a broad range of concepts.

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Q. Universe: What does it mean scientifically?

A. The universe contains everything that exists, including Earth, planets, stars, space, and galaxies. This includes all matter, energy, and even time.

No one knows for sure how big the universe is. It can be infinitely large. However, scientists measure the size of the universe by what they can see. They call it the “observable universe”. The observable universe is about 93 billion light-years across.

(light-years means)

One of the interesting things about the universe is that it is currently expanding. It’s getting bigger all the time. Not only is it growing, but the edge of the universe is expanding at an increasing rate. Scientists believe that the edge of the universe is expanding faster than the speed of light.

Although the Earth appears vast to us, it is actually a small part of the universe. The Sun has 330,000 times the mass of the Earth. The Sun is just one star in the Milky Way, which contains more than 300 billion stars, and scientists estimate that there are more than 170 billion galaxies in the universe!

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Q. What is the Big Bang Theory?

A. The Big Bang Theory is the leading scientific explanation for the origin of the universe, proposing that it began as an extremely hot and dense point approximately 13.8 billion years ago and has been expanding ever since.

The Big Bang Theory: The most prominent scientific theory about

The origin of the Earth involves a spinning cloud of

dust called a solar nebula. This nebula is a product of the Big Bang. Philosophers, religious scholars, and scientists have lots of ideas about where the universe came from, but the most widely held scientific theory is the Big Bang Theory. According to this theory, the universe originated in an enormous explosion.

Before the Big Bang, all of the matter and energy now in the universe was contained in a singularity. A singularity is a point with an extremely high temperature and infinite density. It's also what's found at the center of a black hole. This singularity floated in a complete vacuum until it exploded, flinging gas and energy in all directions. Imagine a bomb going off inside an egg—matter moved in all directions at high speeds.

As the gas from the explosion cooled, various physical forces caused particles to stick together. As they continued to cool, they slowed down and became more organized, eventually growing into stars. This process took about a billion years.

About five billion years ago, some of this gas and matter became our sun. At first, it was a hot, spinning cloud of gas that also included heavier elements. As the cloud spun, it collected into a disc called a solar nebula. Our planet and others probably formed inside this disc. The center of the cloud continued to condense, eventually igniting and becoming a sun.

There's no concrete evidence for exactly how the Earth formed within this nebula. Scientists have two main theories. Both involve accretion, or the sticking together of molecules and particles. They have the same basic idea—about 4.6 billion years ago, the Earth formed as particles collected within a giant disc of gas orbiting what would become our sun. Once the sun ignited, it blew all of the extra particles away, leaving the solar system as we know it. Our moon formed in the solar nebula as well—read "Where Did the Moon Come From?" to learn more.

At first, the Earth was too hot and volcanic. A solid crust formed as the planet cooled, and impacts from asteroids and other debris caused lots of craters. As the planets continued to cool, water filled the basins that had formed on the surface, creating oceans.

The Earth's surface ultimately took on its current form as a result of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other processes. Its mass provides the gravity that holds everything together, and its surface provides a place for us to live. But without the sun, the entire process would not have begun.

Q. What is prehistory?

A. Prehistory is the period of human history that occurred before the advent of written records. It spans from the first known use of stone tools by hominines, approximately 3.3 million years ago, to around 3000 BC, when writing systems were developed. The Neolithic Revolution [1] and the appearance of several human species, including Neanderthals, are notable occurrences from this era. The term "prehistory" itself is derived from Greek, meaning "before history."

Q. What is history?

Ans. History is the study of the past, specifically the events, people, and developments that have occurred in human societies. It involves researching, analyzing, and interpreting primary and secondary sources to understand how societies have changed over time. History seeks to provide context for the present by examining the causes and consequences of past events, as well as the diverse experiences of different groups of people.

Q. Elements of history: What does it mean?

Ans. The main elements of history are generally divided into three parts: written material, unwritten (archaeological) material, and oral material. History is written by collecting and analyzing evidence about past events through these elements.

1. Written material:

Historical information that is available in written form is called written material. These include:

Literary categories: written material, artworks: archaeological (unwritten

Ancient and medieval literature, such as epics, religious texts, or any local or foreign literature.

Documents:

Government or private documents, contracts, letters, memoranda, etc.

Foreign details:

Travelogues written by Muslim, Greek, or Roman travelers provide information about the social, political, and economic conditions of the time.

Scripts and books:

Inscriptions carved on stone or metal in ancient times and various types of religious or secular texts are important sources of history.

2. Mythological (archaeological) material:

Various objects and artefacts created in ancient times and now discovered through archaeological research are called artefacts or archaeological material.

Statues and sculptures:

Various types of statues and sculptures reflect the art, culture, and religious beliefs of the time.

Currency:

The coins in circulation in different eras provide information about the economic situation at that time, the name of the king, and his reign.

Artefacts:

Old houses, weapons, implements, etc., found through archaeological excavations.

Monuments and architecture:

Ancient forts, temples, palaces, and other architectural monuments provide an idea of the architectural style and social structure of the time.

3. Oral components:

Historical information that is passed down orally or is considered as folklore, songs, and various types of folktales is called oral material. These elements play an important role in writing history, along with written information.

Q. Ages of History: What does it mean

Ans. The stages or ages of history are the different periods or segments of time into which the history of humanity is divided for the purpose of facilitating its study and understanding its main patterns. These are conventional, relatively arbitrary divisions, elaborated and continually revised by scholars for centuries.

Over the years, historians have tried to develop a model that allows them to take into account a large part of human cultures throughout their historical journey. Although it is not a perfect model or devoid of biases (for example, it offers a view largely focused on Europe), so far the most accepted and disseminated model recognises four ages of history: Ancient, Mediaeval, Modern and Contemporary. The times before the invention of writing are called prehistory.

[1] The Neolithic Revolution, also known as the Agricultural Revolution, refers to the significant transition in human history from nomadic hunter-gatherer societies to settled agricultural communities. This period marked the development of farming, the domestication of animals, and the establishment of permanent settlements, which allowed for larger populations and the rise of early civilizations. It is considered a pivotal moment in human history, occurring around 12,000 years ago.

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