Join us as we travel through time and learn how human communication has evolved over the ages. We will also learn how the ride itself has changed over the years.
Introduction
Recording of Information
Navigating a Hostile World
When: ~ 35,000 Years Ago
Where: Europe
Communication: Oral
Cave People
When: ~ 15,000 Years Ago
Where: Europe (Southwestern France, the Caves of Altamira in Northern Spain)
Communication: Storytelling and Recording
Ancient Egypt
When: ~ New Kingdom approximately 1567 – 1085 BC
Where: Egypt
Communication: Writing on Walls, Writing on Paper
Disseminating Information
The Phoenicians
When: Late Bronze Age to the Persian Period 1550 – 332 BC
Where: Coast of the Levant
Communication: Alphabet for sharing and trade
Ancient Greeks
When: 400 BC
Where: Athens
Communication: Education
Ancient Rome
When: 27 BC – 20 AD
Where: Rome
Communication: Laws, Couriers and Government
Burning Rome
When: 20 AD – 476 AD
Where: Rome/Alexandria
Communication: Graffiti, loss of the written word
Islamic Empire
When: 650 AD – 1250 AD
Where: Bagdad
Communication: Sharing, translation, libraries
Medieval Times
When: 1400’s
Where: Europe
Communication: Transcribing, illustration
Moveable Type Printing Press
When: 1450
Where: Mainz, Germany
Communication: Mass production, moveable type, binding
Renaissance
When: 1450 – 1550
Where: Italy
Communication: Art – Sculpture, music, painting etc.
Industrial Revolution
Extra Extra
When: 1860’s
Where: New York
Communication: Newspapers
Telegraph
When: 1869’s – 1890’s
Where: New York
Communication: Messages across the country
Telephone
When: 1890’s – 1930’s
Where: New England to the West
Communication: Messages across the world
Radio
When: 1928
Where: USA
Communication: Radio and broadcast networks
Cinema
When: 1936
Where: New York
Communication: Newsreels and moving pictures
Television
When: 1969
Where: East Coast, USA
Communication: Television and home libraries
Computing
Personal Computers (’82-’94)
When: 1980’s
Where: USA
Communication: Networks, transistors, modern office
Personal Computer (’94-’07)
When: 1990’s
Where: International
Communication: Internet, picture chat
Mainframe Computers
When: 1970’s
Where: USA
Communication: Mainframe computing and data storage
Inventing the Personal Computer
When: 1970’s
Where: USA
Communication: Technology for the personal computer
Conclusion
Data Babble, Our Spaceship Earth, Tomorrow’s Child
When: Now
Where: Globally
Communication: Global neighborhood, data, the future
If you want to learn more about the original storyline for Spaceship Earth (pdf), check out the memo for the plan for Spaceship Earth written in February 1978 and marked up by Joseph Mankiewicz available on Disney Docs.