Western Civilization A Brief History, Volume I

by Spielvogel, Jackson J.

• ISBN13: 9780495571483
• ISBN10: 0495571482
• Edition: 7th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-01-01
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

This brief, best-selling Western civilization book has helped thousands of readers learn about the world they live in by exploring the story of its past. Jack Spielvogel's engaging, chronological narrative weaves the political, economic, social, religious, intellectual, cultural, and military aspects of history into a gripping story that is as memorable as it is instructive.

Each chapter offers a substantial introduction and conclusion that sparks students' imaginations by giving them a context within which to understand these disparate themes. And while the single-author narrative makes it easy for students to follow the story of Western civilization, Spielvogel has included dozens of maps and primary sources--including official documents, poems, and songs--that enliven the past while introducing students to the challenges involved in interpreting history.

Spielvogel offers a direct, comprehensible survey of the history of western civilization. His book is well written, skillfully organized, and accurate. It has enough details to enable students to understand the causes and consequences of historical events, but not so many as to bog them down in unnecessary trivia.

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

To Students Of Western Civilization Studying From Primary Source Materials

The Ancient Near East: The First Civilizations

The Ancient Near East: Peoples and Empires

The Civilization of the Greeks

The Hellenistic World

The Roman Republic

The Roman Empire

Late Antiquity and the Emergence of the Medieval World

European Civilization in the Early Middle Ages, 750-1000

The Recovery and Growth of European Society in the High Middle Ages

The Rise of Kingdoms and the Growth of Church Power

The Later Middle Ages: Crisis and Disintegration in the Fourteenth Century

Recovery and Rebirth: The Renaissance

Reformation and Religious Warfare in the Sixteenth Century

Europe and the World: New Encounters, 1500-1800

State Building and the Search for Order in the Seventeenth Century

Toward a New Heaven and a New Earth: The Scientific Revolution and the Emergence of Modern Science

Glossary

Pronunciation Guide

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.