World History in Brief Major Patterns of Change and Continuity

Each chapter begins with an introduction and ends with a conclusion and with "Issues and Connections," "Suggested Web Sites," and "Suggested Readings." I. THE RISE OF AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURAL CIVILIZATIONS. 1. From Human Prehistory to the Rise of Agriculture. Getting Started Is Always Hard. Human Development and Change. HISTORY DEBATE: Peoples in the Americas. The Neolithic Revolution. TIMELINE: Prehistoric Landmarks. The Nature of Agricultural Societies. UNDERSTANDING CULTURE: The Nature of Culture. Agriculture and change. 2. Early Civilization. Civilization. Egypt and Mesopotamia Ccompared. HISTORY DEBATE: Women in Patriarchal Societies. UNDERSTANDING CULTURES: Uses and Varieties. Transitions: The End of the River-Valley Period. The Heritage of the River Valley Civilizations. New States and Peoples Around 1000 B.C.E. TIMELINE: River Valley Civilizations. The First Civilizations. 3. Nomadic Societies. Early Nomadic Societies. Nomadic Society and Culture. UNDERSATNDING CULTURES: Nomadic Art. Nomads and Civilizations. HISTORY DEBATE: The Contributions of Nomads. Nomads and Global Patterns. II. THE CLASSICAL PERIOD, 1000 B.C.E.-500 C.E. Introduction: New Issues for Expanding Societies. TIMELINE: Classical Civilizations. 4. Classical Civilization: China. Patterns in Classical China. Political Institutions. HISTORY DEBATE: War. Religion and Culture. WORLD PROFILES: Confucius, or Kong Fuzi (c. 551-479 B.C.E.) Economy and Society. WORLD PROFILES: Ban Zhao (c. 48-117 C.E.) 5. Classical Civilization: India. The Framework for Indian History: Geography and a Formative Period. Patterns in Classical India. Political Institutions. HISTORY DEBATE: Interpreting Civilization, Round Two. Religion and Culture. UNDERSTANDING CULTURES: Comparing Systems of Belief. Economy and Society. Indian Influence. China and India. 6. Classical Civilization in the Mediterranean: Greece and Rome. The Persian Tradition. Patterns of Greek and Roman History. Greek and Roman Political Institutions Religion and Culture. WORLD PROFILES: Julius Caesar (100-44 B.C.E.) Religion and Culture. UNDERSTANDING CULTURES: When Two Belief Systems Meet. Economy and Society in the Mediterranean. HISTORY DEBATE: Mediterranean Civilization and "Western" Civilization. Toward the Fall of Rome. 7. The Classical Period: Directions, Diversities, and Declines by 500 C. E. Expansion and Integration. Beyond the Classical Civilizations. Decline in China and India. Decline and fall in Rome. HISTORY DEBATE: What Caused Decline and Fall. The New Religious Map. WORLD PROFILES: St. Paul (Paul of Tarsus). The World Around 500 C.E. III. THE POSTCLASSICAL PERIOD, 500-1450 C. E. Introduction: Making the New Era. 8. The Rise of Islam: Civilization in the Middle East. The Advent of Islam. UNDERSTANDING CULTURES: The Impact of World Religions. WORLD PROFILES: Muhammad (570-632 C.E.) Patterns of Islamic history. Islamic Political Institutions. HISTORY DEBATE: Political Implications of Islam. Islam and Middle Eastern Culture. WORLD PROFILES: Omar Khayyam (c. 11-12th Centuries). Economy and Society in the Middle East Decline. The Decline of Middle Eastern Civilization. 9. India and Southeast Asia under the Impact of Islam. The Development of Indian Culture. HISTORY DEBATE: The Caste System. The Muslim Challenge in India. UNDERSTANDING CULTURES: Comparison and Contact. Southeast Asia. 10. Africa and Islam. Sub- Saharan Africa and the World Network. WORLD PROFILES: Sundiata. [read more]