What is the history of white people?

Answer 1

When people ask or talk about a "history" of ANY people, it must be remembered that from the very beginning of people existing, there was NO written history made. The cave man (and other tribes throughout history) drew pictures of their life experiences, whether about animals and great hunts, or everyday living.

It should also be remembered that skin color, from the earliest beginnings of mankind, is not a 100% known fact. Humans could have been pink and green for all we know! We generalize and conceptualize that humans were "white" only because we now think in terms of "race". But in the beginning there were not "races".

Equally, we only have 2 viewpoints on which to make assumptions about what the earliest people looked like. Those two views are science that believes in evolution, and religions (plural) that believe humans had a Creator.

If we look at the science route, earliest man-womankind were covered in thick hair (regardless of any skin color underneath). Some scientists would say that as man/woman hunted and gathered, they entered warmer climates in which we didn't need that thick hair anymore. Further, we know from science that melatonin gives skin a coloring. People with higher melatonin get a darker skin. Whether we turn to science and theories of migratory patterns, or in religious texts that talk about different tribes, ALL the theories had to somehow explain why "God made us in his own image", yet (if that is so), why do humans have so many different skin colorings? The answer is-- we cannot know the answer as to what "color" the first humans were so long ago. We will never fully know, unless science unlocks more mysteries, or anthropologists find and absolutely prove that "this specimen of human" was the very first human being. But with how bodies and bones deteriorate, it is very, very unlikely that humans now will ever know "from whence we came"!

Therefore, asking for a "history of white people" is the same as asking for "a history of black people". We simply do not know a precise history of each race-- or of all of us as originating from one source.

Very generally, we CAN say that in the histories we DO know, ANY people who were IN POWER (rich or controlled land and resources like food) did enslave each other. Whitish peoples in ancient Egypt enslaved other Whitish peoples, along with Tannish peoples and Darkish peoples. e.g. Skin color was not the issue-- power was the issue. We also know that just as poorer Whitish skinned peoples sold their offspring in exchange for food or riches (gold), we know Blackish people also sold their offspring for the same reasons. Children and Women, especially, (of any coloring) were property, and thus chattel, to be used in barter and trade. This is true of almost any culture! and true about any coloring, whitish, brownish, blackish, reddish!

Wars were often a time when Human Beings became spoils of war. If I take all your people captive, you have nothing to use to fight back. Whatever warring tribes, this went on constantly. "To the victor goes the spoils"-- including people. The younger, the prettier, the more beautiful.. the younger, the stronger, the more virile... these people were valuable to the victor.

Humans had centuries of war, captivities, and barters of human beings. By the time we get to separating humans into "White", "Black", "Mulatto", and "Yellow-skinned", these attitudes and behaviors were well ingrained in ALL human tribes, peoples, societies.

The MOST likely reason that "Whites" or "Whitish" people began to be more powerful is simply population. There were probably more Whites, and more Whites living in communities. So therefore, more Whites were in a position of power. They became educated, not because other groups were stupid, but simply because Whites had more possessions (including Women and Children) and more opportunities. If I am White and can enslave a Black and an Asian to do my daily work, I have more time to pursue knowledge, writing, and social aspects of society. However, IF a group had a higher population, they could also enslave a White or Whitish person -- think of all the slaves who built Egypt's pyramids. If you bring this idea up into the 1700s-1800s, some Blacks (who could) owned other Blacks as slaves,

As you can see, we've covered this topic mostly in generalities. The history of Whites like the history of mankind can only be written generally.

So as more generalities, Whites made communities in different countries-- just like Blacks made communities in different countries. And other skinned people made their communities. In these communities, there were Whites and Blacks and other skinned people who were:

1. leaders
2. educated, even if as shamans or healers
3. rich people
4. poor people
5. smarter people
6. not as smart people
7. people with good luck
8. people with bad luck
9. people with good health
10. people with bad health
11. etc.

There is NO "one" history of a skin color. Nor is there just one easy explanation of the history of humans.

Answer 2

White people, as a designation, has evolved over centuries based on different historical and social contexts. The concept of race as we understand it today was developed during the European colonization of the Americas, with Europeans categorizing themselves as "white" in contrast to non-European populations. The idea of whiteness has been used to justify power dynamics, exploitation, and discrimination throughout history.

Answer 3

You shouldn't ask such a broad question