A Brief History of the World
2007
First Published
3.70
Average Rating
300
Number of Pages
In A Brief History of the World, you'll survey the expanse of human development and civilization across the globe. Over the course of 36 riveting lectures, you'll apprehend "the big picture" of world history from the invention of agriculture in the Neolithic era to the urbanized, technologically sophisticated world of the 21st century. It's a compelling overview of the human experience presented by a pioneering scholar and multi-award-winning teacher in world history, Professor Peter N. Stearns. You'll examine and compare the peoples, cultures, and nations of Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas to understand how, throughout history, peoples all over the world have connected and interacted, traded goods and technology, and conquered and learned from each other. The course begins with humanity in prehistory and explores, in a meaningful framework, how races organized to form the civilizations of the Classical world (1000 B.C–A.D. 500). Next, you'll examine the Postclassical world (500–1450) and the rise of world religions, the expansion of economy through international trade, and the discoveries and achievements of the early modern period (1450–1750). The course closes with examinations of the first industrial period, also known as the Long 19th Century (1750–1914), and contemporary times.
Avg Rating
3.70
Number of Ratings
448
5 STARS
19%
4 STARS
41%
3 STARS
32%
2 STARS
6%
1 STARS
2%
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Author
Peter N. Stearns
Author · 22 books
Peter N. Stearns is a professor at George Mason University, where he was provost, from January 1, 2000 to July 2014. Stearns was Chair of the Department of History at Carnegie Mellon University and also served as the Dean of the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences. In addition, he founded and edited the Journal of Social History. While at Carnegie Mellon he developed a pioneering approach to teaching World History.
