Popular Controversies in World History: Prehistory and Early Civilizations

Popular Controversies in World History: Prehistory and Early Civilizations
by Steven L. Danver
Hardcover: 1424 pages
Published: 2009 and 2011 in 4-Volume set
ISBN-10: 1598840770
ISBN-13: 978-1598840773

Prehistory and Early Civilizations, this fascinating resource presents pro and con arguments for a series of unresolved controversies concerning significant historical development. Did ancient Egyptians use slaves to construct the pyramids? Did Native American people use boats to come to the Americas? Do archaeological findings in Babylonia confirm accounts in the Old Testament? Researchers exploring the earliest eras of history have offered vigorous, plausible answers - both yes and no - for these and a number of similarly unresolved questions.

"Popular Controversies in World History: Prehistory and Early Civilizations" offers a unique way of looking at pivotal events and puzzling phenomena, from the earliest evidence of human activity to the time of great civilizations in the ancient world. From the geographic location of human origins to the purpose of Stonehenge, "Popular Controversies in World History: Prehistory and Early Civilizations" covers a series of ongoing debates that have captivated both the historical community and the public at large. In each chapter, established experts offer credible opposing arguments related to a particular question, providing readers with resources for independent critical thinking on the issue. It is a format that lets students, scholars, and other interested readers participate in some of the most intriguing conundrums facing historians today.

This book features 14 expert contributors, each an established historian supporting either the 'pro' or 'con' point of view of a historic controversy with credible evidence and well-reasoned arguments. It contains 20 sidebars with excerpts from relevant primary source materials. It includes 13 chapters on significant historical questions from the evolution of the human species to the authenticity of the Old Testament. The pro and con debate format encourages readers to evaluate the validity of arguments and evidence.