World History

If you feel overwhelmed by the multitude of dates and people involved in most world history lessons, you are not alone. Most people find world history confusing and frustrating because there is so much to take in. Before diving into bewildering amounts of details it is often simpler to look at a brief overview or timeline to help lay the foundation.

World history begins with ancient history. This period lasted from 4000 BC to 500AD. Anything before this time is classified as prehistoric. During the period of ancient history evidence of the first civilizations have been found in Egypt. There were also ancient civilizations in the Middle East, Rome, India, China, and Greece.

The next era in world history is the medieval period. This lasted from 500 AD to 1400 AD.  This period included the age of Feudalism in Europe as well as barbaric invasions. During the middle Ages the Roman Catholic Church was the dominant institution in Europe and the Middle East. This is also a time where the Byzantine and Moslem empires developed. During this time China was ruled by dynasties and India was under British rule.

The next time period in world history is known as modern history. This encompasses the years 1400 AD to the present. This time period is home to the renaissance era, and European expansion overseas. The New World was discovered and democracy was born in the 1700’s. The Industrial Revolution also took place during this time. The world was also introduced to nationalism, imperialism, and communism during this time frame.  In addition, many new developments in science and culture took place in these years. The world was also involved in World War I and World War II during this time in modern history, and the Cold War was significant in recent modern history.