The quest for food led to the conquest of nature, not to despoil nature, but to work with her to increase her fertility that she might produce what humanity needed to live, grow, reproduce, and develop. Such interworking of humanity and nature to produce enough to meet an increasing need for food still goes on. Taking from nature, then from one another disappears before working with nature to provide for all. Growth in experience has resulted not only in expanding food and shelter but in extending human intelligence.

As human intelligence has increased it has worked upon the problems presented by living. It has opened new opportunities to provide for and expand human life. Its progress has, however, not been an even advance, nor have all steps been forward.

Development of invention in the use of iron for implements, as aids to more effective work, gave an impulse to mental extension as well as control of work. Tools for building extended construction; wagons for travel and ships for sailing made exploration more possible as well as products more varied. As metals were found to be malleable, so could be wrought, the mechanical arts were born. Manufacture of arms and wall-protection of cities followed. Architecture arose.

And with alphabetical language now at command an interpretation and record of life began to take form in mythology, poetry, chronicle. The ideal imaginings, the emotions, the events, of human living were expressed. These products of writing appeared in the Orient and the countries encircling the Mediterranean sea - Egypt, Greece, Italy. In this humanity was giving new expression to its interests, while growing in facility in meeting the needs of physical living. Civilization superseded earlier stages of living; it permeated Europe and spread. Humanism is the new stage of race-life approaching.