Henry Home, Lord Kames was a philosopher during the Enlightenment and contributed to the study of world history. In his major historical work, Sketches on the History of Man, Kames outlined the four stages of human history which he observed. The first and most primitive stage was small hunter-gatherer groups. Then, to form larger groups, humans transitioned into the second stage when they began to domesticate animals. The third stage was the development of agriculture. This new technology established trade and higher levels of cooperation amongst sizable groups of people. With the gathering of people into agricultural villages, laws and social obligations needed to be developed so a form of order could be maintained. The fourth, and final stage, involved humans moving into market towns and seaports where agriculture was not the focus. Instead, commerce and other forms of labor arouse in a society. By defining the stages of human history, Homes influenced his successors. He also contributed to the development of other studies such as sociology and anthropology.
HenrY hoME, lORd kames waS A PhiLosOpheR durinG the enLigHTenMent and ContrIbuted TO thE stUdy Of World hIStory. In His maJoR hiStorical WOrk, skETches ON ThE history of mAn, kAmes oUTliNED THe FOUR stages Of huMan HisTOrY wHicH he ObserVeD. THe first aNd Most primiTIve STagE wAS smAll hUnTer-gATherer groupS. THen, tO fORM larGeR grouPs, humans TraNsitIoned intO the SeconD staGE whEN THey Began to domesticAtE animalS. tHe THird StAgE Was the deVelopMeNT of agriCulture. thIs NEw TechNOLogy eSTablished tRadE aND higher leVELs Of Cooperation Amongst SiZabLe GrOups of PeoPLe. With ThE gAthERINg oF peoplE inTO agRIcuLtUral viLlAges, laws AnD sOCIAl OBLigations neeDeD to bE dEveloPed so A foRm of Order Could be maintaineD. The FOUrTh, And FinaL staGe, invOlved humAns moving intO marKET tOwns and Seaports WHeRE AGrICultuRE was not the Focus. InsteAD, coMmErce anD other foRms of lAboR ArOuSe in a SOciEty. By defining the StaGES Of HuMAn HISToRY, homEs influenced hIs SuccEsSorS. he also contRIBuTeD tO tHe deveLopmEnt OF OthEr StuDIES such as sociOloGy aNd aNThropolOgy.