The Essential World History: v. 1

Explore common challenges and experiences that unite the human past and identify key global patterns over time with THE ESSENTIAL WORLD HISTORY: Volume I. This brief overview of world history covers political, economic, social, religious, intellectual, cultural, and military history integrated into a chronologically ordered synthesis to help you gain an appreciation and understanding of the distinctive character and development of individual cultures in society. You can use the book's global approach and its emphasis on analytical comparisons between cultures to link events together in a broad comparative and global framework that places the contemporary world in a more meaningful historical context.

Table of Contents:
(VOLUME I: TO 1800 contains Chapters 1-17; VOLUME II: SINCE 1500 contains Chapters 13-29; ALTERNATE VOLUME: TO 1500 contains Chapters 1-12). Part I: THE FIRST CIVILIZATIONS AND THE RISE OF EMPIRES (PREHISTORY TO 500 C.E.). 1. The First Civilizations: The Peoples of Western Asia and North Africa. 2. Ancient India. 3. China in Antiquity. 4. The Civilization of the Greeks. 5. The First World Civilization: Rome, China, and the Emergence of the Silk Road. Part II: NEW PATTERNS OF CIVILIZATION. 6. The Americas. 7. Ferment in the Middle East: The Rise of Islam and Its Impact in the Region. 8. Early Civilizations in Africa. 9. The Expansion of Civilization in Southern Asia. 10. The Flowering of Traditional China. 11. The East Asian Rimlands: Early Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. 12. The Making of Europe. Part III: EMERGENCE OF NEW WORLD PATTERNS (1500-1800). 13. New Encounters: The Creation of a World Market. 14. Europe Transformed: Reform and State Building. 15. The Muslim Empires. 16. The East Asian World. 17. The West on the Eve of a New World Order. Glossary. Pronunciation Guide.

Review :
"I think that thematic approaches to world history are becoming more and more common. There are certainly certain themes--role of women, literacy and development of writing, changes in technology, role of the environment, role of religion in society--that would be very interesting. Indeed, my colleagues and I are using this approach already and so it would be nice to have a book that meets these needs." "This text is very readable, even for the student who knows very little history and is not a strong reader. However, the text is not "watered-down." It still provides the critical information that all of the students need; it is simply stated in language that all of our students can read and understand. Our previous text was full of facts and in-depth discussions. However, the chapters were long and dry, and the students simply would not read it! This text is short enough that the single mom with four kids who has gone back to school after fifteen years can actually find the time to read the chapters. I do not need a text that contains all of the information about a particular subject. Instead, I need a text that gives a general overview, and I can then elaborate on selected topics and fill in the gaps through lecture and other activities." "[Strengths: ] Breadth of coverage, primary source inclusion, and Internet supplement." "I was looking for a concise, visually engaging, and comprehensive (more global) text. These are strengths of [Duiker and Spielvogel]." "ÝStrengths: ¨ Breadth of coverage, primary source inclusion, and Internet supplement." "I think this is a great plan. I am more likely to re-adopt the book in a 3rd edition with these changes."