The beginnings and foundations of civilization. The building blocks of civilization ; First civilizations of Africa and Western Asia ; Ancient and Classic China ; Ancient and Classic India ; Classic Greece ; When in Rome -- After the Classics. Islam and Africa ; The Byzantine Empire and Russia ; Rebirth in China ; Chinese culture spreads in East Asia ; The Mongols rule! ; Those terrible Middle Ages ; American on the eve of invasion -- The world gets much smaller. Back to Islam ; As the world shrinks: South Asia ; Exploration or exploitation? ; Religion and reformation ; Science and philosophy brighten things up -- Western domination. Revolutions ; The industrial revolution ; Revolutions and reactions ; Imperialism -- The twentieth century and beyond. The war to end all wars ; A time of uncertainty ; World War II and the end of European dominance ; The Cold War ; Out from the shadows ; Where do we go from here?

A guide to world history discusses major events from the beginning of civilization to the late twentieth century, including the birth of early cultures, the rise of major religions, and the growth of Western domination