the story of mankind-第2章

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37。　WHAT　THE　PEOPLE　OF　THE　MIDDLE　AGES　THOUGHT　OF　THE

　WORLD　IN　WHICH　THEY　HAPPENED　TO　LIVE

38。　HOW　THE　CRUSADES　ONCE　MORE　MADE　THE　MEDITERRANEAN　A

　BUSY　CENTRE　OF　TBADE　AND　HOW　THE　CITIES　OF　THE　ITALIAN

　PENINSULA　BECAME　THE　GREAT　DISTRIBUTING　CENTRE　FOR　THE

　COMMERCE　WITH　ASIA　AND　AFRICA

39。　PEOPLE　ONCE　MORE　DARED　TO　BE　HAPPY　JUST　BECAUSE　THEY

　WERE　ALIVE。　THEY　TRIED　TO　SAVE　THE　REMAINS　OF　THE

　OLDER　AND　MORE　AGREEABLE　CIVILISATION　OF　ROME　AND

　GREECE　AND　THEY　WERE　80　PROUD　OF　THEIR　ACHIEVEMENTS

　THAT　THEY　SPOKE　OF　A　RENAISSANCE　OR　RE…BIRTH　OF

　CIVILISATION

40。　THE　PEOPLE　BEGAN　TO　FEEL　THE　NEED　OF　GIVING　EXPRESSION

　TO　THEIR　NEWLY　DISCOVERED　JOY　OF　LIVING。　THEY　EXPRESSED

　THEIR　HAPPINES9　IN　POETRY　AND　IN　SCULPTURE　AND

　IN　ARCHITECTURE　AND　PAINTING；　AND　IN　THE　BOOKS　THEY

　PRINTED

41。　BUT　NOW　THAT　PEOPLE　HAD　BROKEN　THROUGH　THE　BONDS　OF

　THEIR　NARROW　~IEDIIEVAL　LIMITATIONS；　THEY　HAD　TO　HAVE

　MORE　ROOM　FOR　THEIR　WANDERINGS。　THE　EUROPEAN　WORLD

　HAD　GROWN　TOO　SMALL　FOR　THEIR　AMBITIONS。　IT　WAS　THE

　TIME　OF　THE　GREAT　VOYAGES　OF　DISCOVERY

42。　CONCERNING　BUDDHA　AND　CONFUCIUS

43。　THE　PROGRESS　OF　THE　HUMAN　RACE　IS　BEST　COMPARED　TO　A

　GIGANTIC　PENDULUM　WHICH　FOREVER　SWINGS　FORWARD　AND

　BACKWARD。　THE　RELIGIOUS　INDIFFERENCE　AND　THE　ARTISTIC

　AND　LITERARY　ENTHUSIASM　OF　THE　RENAISSANCE　WERE　FOLLOWED

　BY　THE　ARTISTIC　AND　LITERARY　INDIFFERENCE　AND　THE

　RELIGIOITS　ENTHUSIASM　OF　THE　REFORMATION

44。　THE　AGE　OF　THE　GREAT　RELIGIOUS　CONTROVERSIES

45。　HOW　THE　STRUGGLE　BETWEEN　THE　DIVINE　RIGHT　OF　KINGS

　AND　THE　LESS　DIVINE　BUT　MORE　REASONABLE　RIGHT　OF

　PARLIAMENT　ENDED　DISASTROUSLY　FOR　KING　CHARLES　II

46。　IN　FRANCE；　ON　THE　OTHER　HAND；　THE　DIVINE　RIGHT　OF　KINGS

　CONTINUED　WITH　GREATER　POMP　AND　SPLENDOR　THAN　EVER

　BEFORE　AND　THE　AMBITION　OF　THE　RULER　WAS　ONLY　TEMPERED

　BY　THE　NEWLY　INVENTED　LAW　OF　THE　BALANCE　OF　POWER

47。　THE　STORY　OF　THE　MYSTERIOUS　MUSCOVITE　EMPIRE　WHICH　SUDDENLY

　BURST　UPON　THE　GRAND　POLITICAL　STAGE　OF　EUROPE

48。　RUSSIA　AND　SWEDEN　FOUGHT　MANY　WARS　TO　DECIDE　WHO

　SHALL　BE　THE　LEADING　POWER　OF　NORTHEASTERN　EUROPE

49。　THE　EXTRAORDINARY　RISE　OF　A　LITTLE　STATE　IN　A　DREARY　PART

　OF　NORTHERN　GERMANY；　CALLED　PRUSSIA

50。　HOW　THE　NEWLY　FOUNDED　NATIONAL　OR　DYNASTIC　STATES　OF

　EUROPE　TRIED　TO　MAKE　THEMSELVES　RICH　AND　WHAT　WAS

　MEANT　BY　THE　MERCANTILE　SYSTEM

51。　AT　THE　END　OF　THE　EIGHTEENTH　CENTURY　EUROPE　HEARD

　STRANGE　REPORTS　OF　SOMETHING　WHICH　HAD　HAPPENED　IN

　THE　WILDERNESS　OF　THE　NORTH　AMERICAN　CONTINENT。　THE

　DESCENDANTS　OF　THE　MEN　WHO　HAD　PUNISHED　KING　CHARLES

　FOR　HIS　INSISTENCE　UPON　HIS　DIVINE　RIGHTS　ADDED　A

　NEW　CHAPTER　TO　THE　OLD　STORY　OF　THE　STRUGGLE　FOR　SELF…

　GOVERNMENT

62。　THE　GREAT　FRENCH　REVOLUTION　PROCLAIMS　THE　PRINCIPLES

　OF　LIBERTY；　FRATERNITY　AND　EQUALITY　UNTO　All　THE　PEOPLE

　OF　THE　EARTH

53。　NAPOLEON

54。　AS　SOON　AS　NAPOLEON　HAD　BEEN　SENT　TO　ST。　HELENA；　THE

　RULERS　WHO　SO　OFTEN　HAD　BEEN　DEFEATED　BY　THE　HATED

　CORSICAN　MET　AT　VIENNA　AND　TRIED　TO　UNDO　THE　MANY

　CHANCES　WHICH　HAD　BEEN　BROUGHT　ABOUT　BY　THE　FRENCH

　REVOLUTION

55。　THEY　TRIED　TO　ASSURE　THE　WORLD　AN　ERA　OF　UNDISTURBED

　PEACE　BY　SUPPRESSING　ALL　NEW　IDEAS。　THEY　MADE　THE

　POLICE…SPY　THE　HIGHEST　FUNCTIONARY　IN　THE　STATE　AND

　SOON　THE　PRISONS　OF　AIL　COUNTRIES　WERE　FILLED　WITH

　THOSE　WHO　CLAIMED　THAT　PEOPLE　HAVE　THE　RIGHT　TO

　GOVERN　THEMSELVES　AS　THEY　SEE　FIT

56。　THE　LOVE　OF　NATIONAL　INDEPENDENCE；　HOWEVER；　WAS　TOO

　STRONG　TO　BE　DESTROYED　IN　THIS　WAY。　THE　SOUTH　AMERICANS

　WERE　THE　FIRST　TO　REBEL　AGAINST　THE　REACTIONARY

　MEASURES　OF　THE　CONGRESS　OF　VIENNA。　GREECE　AND　BELGIUM

　AND　SPAIN　AND　A　LARGE　NUMBER　OF　OTHER　COUNTRIES

　OF　THE　EUROPEAN　CONTINENT　FOLLOWED　SUIT　AND　THE

　NINETEENTH　CENTURY　WAS　FILLED　WITH　THE　RUMOR　OF　MANY

　WARS　OF　INDEPENDENCE

57。　BUT　WHITE　THE　PEOPLE　OF　EUROPE　WERE　FIGHTING　FOR　THEIR

　NATIONAL　INDEPENDENCE；　THE　WORLD　IN　WHICH　THEY　LIVED

　HAD　BEEN　ENTIRELY　CHANGED　BY　A　SERIES　OF　INVENTIONS；

　WHICH　HAD　MADE　THE　CLUMSY　OLD　STEAM…ENGINE　OF　THE

　EIGHTEENTH　CENTURY　THE　MOST　FAITHFUL　AND　EFFICIENT

　STAVE　OF　MAN

58。　THE　NEW　ENGINES　WERE　VERY　EXPENSIVE　AND　ONLY　PEOPLE

　OF　WEALTH　COULD　AFFORD　THEM。　THE　OLD　CARPENTER　OR

　SHOEMAKER　WHO　HAD　BEEN　HIS　OWN　MASTER　IN　HIS　LITTLE

　WORKSHOP　WAS　OBLIGED　TO　HIRE　HIMSELF　OUT　TO　THE　OWNERS

　OF　THE　BIG　MECHANICAL　TOOLS；　AND　WHITE　HE　MADE

　MORE　MONEY　THAN　BEFORE；　HE　LOST　HIS　FORMER　INDEPENDENCE

　AND　HE　DID　NOT　LIKE　THAT

59。　THE　GENERAL　INTRODUCTION　OF　MACHINERY　DID　NOT　BRING

　ABOUT　THE　ERA　OF　HAPPINESS　AND　PROSPERITY　WHICH　HAD

　BEEN　PREDICTED　BY　THE　GENERATION　WHICH　SAW　THE　STAGE

　COACH　REPLACED　BY　THE　RAILROAD。　SEVERAL　REMEDIES

　WERE　SUGGESTED；　BUT　NONE　OF　THESE　QUITE　SOLVED　THE

　PROBLEM

60。　BUT　THE　WORLD　HAD　UNDERGONE　ANOTHER　CHANGE　WHICH　WAS

　OF　GREATER　IMPORTANCE　THAN　EITHER　THE　POLITICAL　OR　THE

　INDUSTRIAL　REVOLUTIONS。　AFTER　GENERATIONS　OF　OPPRESSION

　AND　PERSECUTION；　THE　SCIENTIST　HAD　AT　LAST　GAINED

　LIBERTY　OF　ACTION　AND　HE　WAS　NOW　TRYING　TO　DISCOVER

　THE　FUNDAMENTAL　LAWS　WHICH　GOVERN　THE　UNIVERSE

61。　A　CHAPTER　OF　ART

62。　THE　LAST　FIFTY　YEARS；　INCLUDING　SEVERAL　EXPLANATIONS

AND　A　FEW　APOLOGIES

63。　THE　GREAT　WAR；　WHICH　WAS　REALLY　THE　STRUGGLE　FOR　A

　NEW　AND　BETTER　WORLD

64。ANIMATED　CHRONOLOGY

65。CONCERNING　THE　PICTURES



66。AN　HISTORICAL　READING　LIST　FOR　CHILDREN



67。INDEX













THE　STORY　OF　MANKIND





HIGH　Up　in　the　North　in　the　land　called　Svithjod；　there

stands　a　rock。　It　is　a　hundred　miles　high　and　a　hundred　miles

wide。　Once　every　thousand　years　a　little　bird　comes　to　this

rock　to　sharpen　its　beak。



When　the　rock　has　thus　been　worn　away；　then　a　single　day

of　eternity　will　have　gone　by。







THE　SETTING　OF　THE　STAGE





WE　live　under　the　shadow　of　a　gigantic　question　mark。



Who　are　we？



Where　do　we　come　from？



Whither　are　we　bound？



Slowly；　but　with　persistent　courage；　we　have　been　pushing

this　question　mark　further　and　further　towards　that　distant

line；　beyond　the　horizon；　where　we　hope　to　find　our　answer。



We　have　not　gone　very　far。



We　still　know　very　little　but　we　have　reached　the　point

where　（with　a　fair　degree　of　accuracy）　we　can　guess　at　many

things。



In　this　chapter　I　shall　tell　you　how　（according　to　our　best

belief）　the　stage　was　set　for　the　first　appearance　of　man。



If　we　represent　the　time　during　which　it　has　been　possible　for

animal　life　to　exist　upon　our　planet　by　a　line　of　this　length；

then　the　tiny　line　just　below　indicates　the　age　during　which

man　（or　a　creature　more　or　less　resembling　man）　has　lived

upon　this　earth。



Man　was　the　last　to　come　but　the　first　to　use　his　brain　for

the　purpose　of　conquering　the　forces　of　nature。　That　is　the

reason　why　we　are　going　to　study　him；　rather　than　cats　or

dogs　or　horses　or　any　of　the　other　animals；　who；　all　in　their

own　way；　have　a　very　interesting　historical　development　behind

them。



In　the　beginning；　the　planet　upon　which　we　live　was　（as　far

as　we　now　know）　a　large　ball　of　flaming　matter；　a　tiny　cloud　of

smoke　in　the　endless　ocean　of　space。　Gradually；　in　the　course

of　millions　of　years；　the　surface　burned　itself　out；　and　was　covered

with　a　thin　layer　of　rocks。　Upon　these　lifeless　rocks　the

rain　descended　in　endless　torrents；　wearing　out　the　hard

granite　and　carrying　the　dust　to　the　valleys　that　lay　hidden　between

the　high　cliffs　of　the　steaming　earth。



Finally　the　hour　came　when　the　sun　broke　through　the

clouds　and　saw　how　this　little　planet　was　covered　with　a　few

small　puddles　which　were　to　develop　into　the　mighty　oceans　of

the　eastern　and　western　hemispheres。



Then　one　day　the　great　wonder　happened。　What　had　been

dead；　gave　birth　to　life。



The　first　living　cell　floated　upon　the　waters　of　the　sea。



For　millions　of　years　it　drifted　aimlessly　with　the　currents。

But　during　all　that　time　it　was　developing　certain　habits　that

it　might　survive　more　easily　upon　the　inhospitable　earth。　Some

of　these　cells　were　happiest　in　the　dark　depths　of　the　lakes　and

the　pools。　They　took　root　in　the　slimy　sediments　which　had

been　carried　down　from　the　tops　of　the　hills　and　they　became

plants。　Others　preferred　to　move　about　and　they　grew

strange　jointed　legs；　like　scorpions　and　began　to　crawl　along

the　bottom　of　the　sea　amidst　the　plants　and　the　pale　green　things

that　looked　like　jelly…fishes。　Still　others　（covered　with　scales）

depended　upon　a　swimming　motion　to　go　from　place　to　place

in　their　search　for　food；　and　gradually　they　populated　the　ocean

with　myriads　of　fishes。



Meanwhile　the　plants　had　increased　in　number　and　they　had

to　search　for　new　dwelling　places。　There　was　no　more　room

for　them　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea。　Reluctantly　they　left　the

water　and　made　a　new　home　in　the　marshes　and　on　the　mud…

banks　that　lay　at　the　foot　of　the　mountains。　Twice　a　day　the

tides　of　the　ocean　covered　them　with　their　brine。　For　the　rest

of　the　time；　the　plants　made　the　best　of　their　uncomfortable

situation　and　tried　to　survive　in　the　thin　air　which　surrounded

the　surface　of　the　planet。　After　centuries　of　training；　they

learned　how　to　live　as　comfortably　in　the　air　as　they　had　done　in

the　water。　They　increased　in　size　and　became　shrubs　and　trees

and　at　last　they　learned　how　to　grow　lovely　flowers　which

attracted　the　attention　of　the　busy　big　bumble…bees　and　the

birds　who　carried　the　seeds　far　and　wide　until　the　whole　earth

had　become　covered　with　green　pastures；　or　lay　dark　under　the

shadow　of　the　big　trees。　But　some　of　the　fishes　too

had　begun　to　leave　the　sea；　and　they　had　learned　how　to　breathe

with　lungs　as　well　as　with　gills。　We　call　such　creatures　amphibious；

which　means　that　they　are　able　to　live　with　equal　ease　on　the　land

and　in　the　water。　The　first　frog　who　crosses　your　path　can　tell　you

all　about　the　pleasures　of　the　double　existence　of　the　amphibian。



Once　outside　of　the　water；　these　animals　gradually　adapted

themselves　more　and　more　to　life　on　land。　Some　became　reptiles

（creatures　who　crawl　like　lizards）　and　they　shared　the

silence　of　the　forests　with　the　insects。　That　they　might　move

faster　through　the　soft　soil；　they　improved　upon　their　legs

and　their　size　increased　until　the　world　was　populated　with

gigantic　forms　（which　the　hand…books　of　biology　list　under

the　names　of　Ichthyosaurus　and　Megalosaurus　and　Brontosaurus）

who　grew　to　be　thirty　to　forty　feet　long　and　who　could　have

played　with　elephants　as　a　full　grown　cat　plays　with　her　kittens。



Some　of　the　members　of　this　reptilian　family　began　to　live　in

the　tops　of　the　trees；　which　were　then　often　more　than　a　hundred

feet　high。　They　no　longer　needed　their　legs　for　the　purpose

of　walking；　but　it　was　necessary　for　them　to　move　quickly　from

branch　to　branch。　And　so　they　changed　a　part　of　their　skin

into　a　sort　of　parachute；　which　stretched　between　the　sides　of

their　bodies　and　the　small　toes　of　their　fore…feet；　and　gradually

they　covered　this　skinny　para