World History For Dummies^®, 2nd Edition

by Peter Haugen

• ISBN13: 9780470547519
• ISBN10: 0470547510
• Format: eBook
• Copyright: 2009-11-01
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Now updated! Your personal tour guide to the history of the world Want to know more about global history? This concise guide explains in clear detail all the major players and events that have made the world what it is today. Covering the entirety of human history, this comprehensive resource highlights important developments in everything from religion and science to art and war - giving you an understanding of how the 21st-century world came to be. Begin to connect with the past - label the eras as you meet the Neanderthals, home in on Homer, raise Atlantis, and preserve Pharaohs Find strength in numbers - trace the growth from ancient civilizations to today's global community and discover what makes societies succeed or fail Discover the impact of thought - explore the rise of religion, the roots of philosophy, and the advance of science - and how our feelings and beliefs continually redefined us Know the global consequences of war - ride with the Greeks and the Romans, arm yourself with the cavalry, dig the trenches, and follow the paths humans took to wage modern war Meet the movers and shakers - from great leaders and courageous revolutionaries to ruthless tyrants and unsung heroes Examine significant events of the 21st century - from 9/11 and the Afghanistan and Iraq wars to climate change, Hurricane Katrina, and the economic rise of China, India, and Brazil Open the book and find: A detailed overview of history The development of the world's religions Reviews of essential historical documents, from the Bible to the Bill of Rights The invention of writing and art Scientific developments that revolutionized the world Capsule biographies of people who changed history - and a few who were changed by it Ten unforgettable dates in world history

Table of Contents

Introduction

Getting into History

Tracing a Path to the Present

Digging Up Reality

Putting History into Perspective

Finding Strength in Numbers

Getting Civilized

The Rise and Fall of Many Empires

History's Mid-Life Crisis: The Middle Ages

The Struggle for World Domination

Grabbing the Globe

Clashing All Around the World

Seeking Answers

Religion through the Ages

Loving Wisdom: The Rise and Reach of Philosophy

Being Christian, Thinking Greek

Awakening to the Renaissance

Making a Break: The Reformation

Opening Up to Science and Enlightenment

Fighting, Fighting, Fighting

Sticks and Stones: Waging War the Old-Fashioned Way

The War Machine Gets Some Upgrades

Modernized Mayhem

Meeting the Movers and Shakers

Starting Something Legendary

Battling Toward Immortality

Explorers and Discoverers: Places to Go, People to See

Turning Tables: Rebels and Revolutionaries

The Part of Tens

Ten Unforgettable Dates in History

Ten Essential Historical Documents

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.