National Geographic Almanac of World History

by Daniels, Patricia; Hyslop, Steve

• ISBN13: 9780792259114
• ISBN10: 0792259114
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-08-15
• Publisher: National Geographic

Summary

From the first civilizations to the 21st century, this wide-ranging, compulsively readable book encompasses all of world history--great ages and monumental events; the rise and fall of cultures; names, dates, and statistics; and stories galore. Designed as an authoritative reference that's also irresistible to browse, it's a brilliant blend of narrative, analysis, detailed facts, and visual variety including sidebars, time lines and more than 200 maps and illustrations. The book offers four revealing ways to look at the human epic. In Milestones, 12 essays address key developments from agriculture and writing to modern democracy and other important themes; next, Major Eras takes a chronological approach, examining 11 eras from prehistory to the present. World at a Glance traces specific subjects through the centuries, with entries on Wars, Religions, Human Accomplishments, Leaders, Artists, and more. An expansive appendix listing presidents, popes, and other world figures, as well as a bibliography, a glossary, and a comprehensive index round out this amazing reference. A book that meets the most demanding standards of accuracy and graphic excellence, this is an indispensable tool for students and an illuminating, engrossing exploration for anyone interested in the who, what, why, when, and where of world history.

Author Biography

Patricia Daniels is an author and editor for National Geographic who has written, edited, or contributed to books on history, science, and geography, most recently the National Geographic Encyclopedia of Space. She lives in State College, Pennsylvania.

Stephen G. Hyslop has been a writer and editor for Time-Life Books and National Geographic, as well as author of Bound for Santa Fe and Chroniclers of Indian Life. He lives in Virginia.

Douglas G. Brinkley is the director of the Theodore Roosevelt Center for American Civilization and Professor of History at Tulane University. He authored two New York Times Best Sellers: Tour of Duty: John Kerry and the Vietnam War and Voices of Valor: D-Day; June 6, 1944. He is the official historian for NBC News. Dr. Brinkley is contributing editor for the Los Angeles Times Book Review and American Heritage and a contributor to the New York Timesand The New Yorker.

Table of Contents

Foreword	10	(2)
About This Book	12	(4)
MILESTONES
The Rise of Agriculture & Complex Societies	16	(2)
The Evolution of Writing	18	(2)
The Classical Tradition	20	(2)
The Silk Road & the East-West Connection	22	(2)
Plagues & Peoples	24	(2)
Gutenberg & the Print Revolution	26	(2)
Slave Trade & Colonialism	28	(2)
The Rise of Democracy	30	(2)
Technology Shrinks the World	32	(2)
The Search for World Order	34	(4)
MAJOR ERAS
Ancient World: Prehistory--500 B.C.	38	(32)
Human Evolution & Early Migration Prehistory--3000 B.C.	40	(4)
Mesopotamian Civilizations 3500--500 B.C.	44	(6)
The Lessons of Judaism	49	(1)
Egyptian Civilization 3000--500 B.C.	50	(6)
The Divine Right of Queens	53	(3)
Indian Civilization 2500--500 B.C.	56	(4)
The Multiplicity of Hinduism	58	(2)
Chinese Civilization 2000--500 B.C.	60	(2)
Mediterranean Civilizations 2000--500 B.C.	62	(4)
Olmec of Mesoamerica 1200--400 B.C.	66	(2)
World Survey Prehistory--500 B.C.	68	(2)
Classical World: 550 B.C.--A.D. 700	70	(32)
Persia 550 B.C.--A.D. 651	72	(2)
North American Cultures 500 B.C.--A.D. 400	74	(2)
Mesoamerican Cultures 500 B.C.--A.D. 700	76	(2)
South American Cultures 500 B.C.--A.D. 600	78	(2)
The Roman Empire 509 B.C.--A.D. 476	80	(6)
Hannibal of Carthage	83	(1)
The Roman Army	84	(2)
Greece 492--400 B.C.	86	(4)
China's Qin & Han Dynasties 403 B.C.--A.D. 220	90	(4)
Emperor Qin's Tomb	93	(1)
Alexander the Great 336--323 B.C.	94	(2)
India 327 B.C.--A.D. 550	96	(2)
Rise of Christianity A.D. 27--392	98	(2)
World Survey 550 B.C.--A.D. 700	100	(2)
Age of Faith: 500--1150	102	(30)
Maya 500--1000	104	(4)
Watching the Heavens	106	(2)
Anglo-Saxon England 500--1066	108	(2)
Byzantine Empire 527--1054	110	(4)
Muhammad & Islam 570--1000	114	(4)
The Koran	117	(1)
China's Sui & Tang Dynasties 581--907	118	(4)
Khmer Empire 600--1150	122	(2)
Charlemagne 768--814	124	(2)
Vikings 793--1042	126	(2)
Feudalism 800--1000	128	(2)
World Survey 500--1150	130	(2)
Crusades to Columbus: 960--1644	132	(42)
China's Song Dynasty 960--1279	134	(2)
Holy Roman Empire 962--1648	136	(2)
Toltec & Aztec Empires 1000--1521	138	(6)
Rituals of Aztec Warfare	142	(2)
Peru's Chimu & Inca Empires 1000--1536	144	(2)
Mississippians & Anasazi 1000--1540	146	(4)
The High Middle Ages in Europe 1000--1453	150	(2)
The Crusades 1095--1291	152	(2)
Mongol Empire 1206--1368	154	(6)
Marco Polo	159	(1)
Ottoman Empire 1299--1571	160	(2)
The Renaissance 1300--1600	162	(6)
Machiavelli	164	(4)
China's Ming Dynasty 1368--1644	168	(4)
The Admiral of the Western Ocean	171	(1)
World Survey 960--1644	172	(2)
Colonizing New Worlds: 1455--1857	174	(54)
England 1455--1689	176	(4)
The Great Fire of London	179	(1)
Spain & Portugal 1469--1640	180	(4)
The Spanish Inquisition	182	(2)
Navigating the Globe 1492--1522	184	(2)
Spanish-American Empire 1492--1800	186	(6)
Spanish Mission System	189	(3)
The Reformation 1517--1648	192	(2)
Mogul India 1523--1857	194	(2)
France's North American Colonies 1534--1763	196	(4)
England's North American Colonies 1584--1775	200	(4)
English Conquest of Canada	203	(1)
Japan & the Shoguns 1588--1853	204	(2)
The Rise of Russia 1613--1796	206	(4)
The Age of Enlightenment 1700--1800	210	(2)
Europe's Balance of Power 1702--1763	212	(2)
British Exploration of the Pacific 1760--1840	214	(4)
Australia's Aborigines	217	(1)
American Revolution 1775--1789	218	(4)
Rebellions in Other American Colonies	220	(2)
French Revolution 1789--1799	222	(4)
Robespierre & the Reign of Terror	224	(2)
World Survey 1455--1857	226	(2)
Age of Imperialism: 1750--1917	228	(50)
European Imperialism 1750--1900	230	(4)
Queen Victoria	233	(1)
India Under the British 1757--1917	234	(2)
Napoleon 1769--1821	236	(2)
Europe's Industrial Revolution 1769--1900	238	(6)
Urban Migration	240	(3)
Ireland's Potato Famine	243	(1)
Imperialism in the Pacific 1800--1900	244	(4)
Maori of New Zealand	247	(1)
Latin American Independence 1800--1830	248	(4)
Bolivar: Liberator or Dictator?	250	(2)
U.S. Expansion 1800--1860	252	(4)
The California Gold Rush	255	(1)
European Nationalism 1815--1871	256	(2)
China Ends Its Isolation 1820--1900	258	(2)
European Powers Colonize Africa 1830--1914	260	(6)
Livingstone & Stanley	265	(1)
Japan & the West 1853--1905	266	(2)
U.S. Civil War & Reconstruction 1860--1877	268	(4)
The Battle of Gettysburg	270	(2)
The U.S. Becomes a Great Power 1876--1900	272	(4)
Rough Riders in Cuba	275	(1)
World Survey 1750--1917	276	(2)
Global Conflict: 1900--1945	278	(26)
Revolution in Transit 1900--1930	280	(4)
Mass Production Comes of Age	283	(1)
World War I 1914--1918	284	(6)
The Russian Revolutions of 1917	287	(3)
Boom & Bust 1920--1937	290	(4)
Mass Communication	293	(1)
Authoritarianism 1920--1938	294	(2)
World War II 1939--1945	296	(6)
Development of the Atom Bomb	300	(2)
World Survey 1900--1945	302	(2)
Toward a New Millennium: 1945--Present	304	(62)
Postwar Settlement & Cold War 1945--1991	306	(10)
Arab-Israeli Conflicts	309	(2)
Vietnam War	311	(2)
Iran Revolution	313	(3)
Development of a ``Third World'' 1945--1991	316	(6)
Gandhi: India's Peaceful Rebel	319	(3)
Frontiers of Science 1945--Present	322	(4)
Globalization 1991--Present	326	(4)
Terrorism	329	(1)
World Survey 1945--Present	330	(4)
AT A GLANCE
Major Wars	334	(4)
Major Religions	338	(4)
Periods & Movements	342	(4)
Human Accomplishments	346	(4)
Leaders	350	(6)
Scientists, Inventors, & Philosophers	356	(4)
Explorers	360	(2)
Artists	362	(4)
Appendix	366	(5)
Recommended Reading	371	(1)
Index	372	(11)
Illustrations Credits	383