Part 1: A Brief State of the World Address

Basic Earth Science

• The earth in the solar system.
• The size and composition of the earth.
• The sun, as our principal source of energy.
• The atmosphere, its composition, structure, and thermodynamics.
• Water, its states as vapor, liquid and ice, its chemistry.
• The origin of life and its effects on carbon and oxygen cycles.
• The tilt of the earth and the oscillation of seasons.
• The earth's structure and magnetic field.
• Plate tectonics: oceanic and continental crust, plates, trenches.
• Radioactivity, geothermal energy, convection currents, hot spots.
• Erosion and the building of sedimentary rocks.
• Solar energy storage as coal, oil and natural gas.
• A climate map: continents, oceans, thermal currents.
• The evolution of life, colonization of the continents.
• Catastrophes and mass extinctions.

Human History

• Origins and early human migrations.
• Hunter-gatherer tribal structure.
• Ice ages and impact of current interglacial period.
• Early development of agriculture.
• Domestication of animals and the harnessing of animal power.
• Use of tools, development of metallurgy.
• Organized warfare and empire building.
• Development of writing.
• Development of axial age religions.
• Development of intercontinental trade.
• Urbanism and the impact of plagues and famines.
• Islam and the Crusades.
• The age of European exploration, expansion, and imperialism.
• The slave trade and the development of racism in the Americas.