Let's Vote History

A chance for you to express what do you like about our past

Photo by Egor Myznik on Unsplash

Welcome to a special edition of Forgotten Footprints.

2024 has been election season across several nations, including India, the EU, France, the UK, and, last but not least, the much-anticipated US elections.

Hence, I thought, why not cast your vote and make your opinions heard about what you like about history? Which eras do you enjoy learning about? What about the themes?

Don’t worry. Unlike the US Presidential elections, you won’t have two choices! :)

Let’s start with your favorite era. Please note that only three options are included as we cover only till the Middle Ages. If you like modern history, let me know in the comments. Ancient history ended in 600 AD in Europe and Asia but lasted till 900 AD in the Americas. To avoid two options, I combined them.

This newsletter discusses a fair amount of prehistory, so let’s vote on which part appeals most. Let’s take the cutoff date for the end of prehistory as 3300 BC, though it lasted a bit longer in many places. Here’s the timeline for different periods. BP stands for before present.

• Lower Paleolithic (3.3 million BP-300,000 BP) early evolution of hominins, the first stone tools appear.

• Middle Paleolithic (300,000 BP -50,000 BP) advances in tool-making and possible control of fire. Homo Sapiens appear.

• Upper Paleolithic (50,000 BP-12,000 BP) cave art, Venus figurines, first permanent settlements, advanced stone tools, and Homo Sapiens’ conquest of the world.

• Mesolithic/Epipaleolithic ( 20,000 BP-10,000 BP) first steps towards a sedentary lifestyle, making beer, harvesting wild cereals, and herding wild animals.

• Neolithic (10,000 BC-2,000 BC): The dawn of human civilization, animal domestication, farming, and march towards urbanization.

Let’s move on to the ancient period. We’ll discuss something different. Most of you are familiar with Egypt, Mesopotamia, Indus, and China, but what about civilizations from the ancient world that have been forgotten or ignored in popular discourse? For example, do you know the earliest pyramids in Peru are as old as Egypt’s? Let’s vote on your favorite forgotten civilization.

We discussed forgotten civilizations. But what about forgotten empires? We’ve all heard of Alexander’s conquests, but did you know his empire wasn’t the largest in the ancient world? Modu, the founder of the Xiongnu empire, subjugated Han China and nomadic tribes of the Eurasian Steppes to forge an empire twice the size of Alexander’s!

Let’s vote on which forgotten empire you want to learn more about.

The next poll will be about your favorite region. I understand if the history of some areas interests you more than others. It’s impossible to expect someone to be interested in every corner of the globe. So, vote on your regional preferences.

Our final poll of the day is to vote on your favorite theme or genre in history. Please note that I can add only five options, so if you don’t see your favorite theme, let me know in the comments!

These polls aim to hear your voice on what you like about history. I want to get to know my readers better. Leave a comment if there’s any topic I’ve left out that you’d like to discuss!

Next week, we’ll have our monthly round-up of the latest historical discoveries.

Till then.

Do you enjoy tales from lost civilizations and cultures from the ancient world and the Middle Ages? Share this newsletter with your colleagues, friends, and family, and don’t forget to subscribe.

If you wish to support the newsletter, consider opting for a paid membership or buying me a coffee!