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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 reptile