Exploring World History through Geography: From the Cradle of Civilization to a Globalized World

Not your run-of-the-mill world history tome, this book takes readers on a fascinating journey through time to examine world history through the closely related discipline of geography. From the early civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia to our present-day globalized society, readers will learn how humans interacted – and still interact – with the environment around them, as well as the environment's role in not only shaping the society's world view but enabling the building of socially stratified and successful civilizations. Additionally, the book examines how civilizations interacted with others, from developing cross-boundary trade to initiating wars of expansion. Finally, readers will also understand the impact of the study and application of geography, such as the creation and use of maps and the study of cultures and Earth’s processes. Readers will come away with a new understanding of the relevance of geography to not only human history but contemporary events, as well as their day-to-day lives. By presenting this history from a slightly different, geographic point of view, this book will inspire fresh curiosity in the world, both past and present.

Table of Contents:
Preface Introduction 1. Ancient Mesopotamia 2. Ancient Egypt 3. Ancient Greece 4. Ancient Rome 5. China 6. Mesoamerican Civilizations 7. South American Civilizations 8. North American Civilizations 9. The Byzantine Empire 10. The Islamic World 11. Europe in the Middle Ages 12. The Age of Exploration 13. Sub-Saharan African Kingdoms 14. Australia and Oceania 15. The Industrial Revolution 16. Colonizing Africa 17. World War I 18. World War II 19. The Cold War 20. Middle East Resource Conflicts 21. Global Challenges of the 21st Century Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Julie Crea Dunbar has worked in social studies publishing for nearly 20 years.

Review :
An understanding of geography is critical to the understanding and interpretation of history. Exploring World History through Geography thoughtfully guides the reader through thousands of years of world events, explorers, inventions, progress, and challenges in engaging and exciting ways but always with the consideration of geography. Rather than relegating geographic considerations to a few maps, directions, and distances, Dunbar's book pays close attention to core geographic themes of scale, patterns, relationships, and region. Core to the book is human-environment interaction: How the physical environment influenced people and events, and how people influenced the environments they lived in and explored. Dunbar strikes a readable balance between detail but not letting the details obscure the important take-aways with each of the stories examined. While this book will be valuable to students and instructors in history and geography, it will also appeal to the general public who seeks to discover how these two disciplines provide insight to understanding our fascinating planet. Dunbar's book is a highly effective synthesis bringing together several important disciplines including history, geography, economics, and world cultures. Presented in a sprightly and informative manner designed to hold the reader's attention, the various themes explored in this work carry great relevance for our contemporary world. An excellent introductory study, this book belongs in every public library and would be ideal reading for an advanced high school class or university survey course. This book provides a fascinating geographic perspective on world history, which makes each topic more tangible and relevant. Geography provides the context and underscores why local people, places, and environments matter. This book deftly merges geography and history to make the immense topic of world history relatable to modern readers.