World Civilizations The Global Experience v 2

The primary goal of World Civilizations is to present a truly global history-since the development of agriculture and herding to the present. Using a unique periodization, this book divides the main periods of human history according to changes in the nature and extent of global contacts. This global world history text emphasizes the major stages in the interactions among different peoples and societies, while also assessing the development of major societies. Presenting social and cultural as well as political and economic aspects, the book examines key civilizations in world history. World Civilizations balances this discussion of independent developments in the world's major civilizations with comparative analysis of the results of global contact.Unique periodization offers a coherent and comprehensible framework for organizing the study of world history. Six distinct eras of world history are defined primarily by the nature and extent of global interaction and contact among all or most civilizations during the particular time period. The six periods correspond to the six parts of the book. Within each part, the authors identify specific themes that characterize common experiences or common forces in individual societies as well as the kinds, patterns, and extent of global contacts that emerged during the era. Thus, for example, Part I of the book discusses the developmental stage of world history, including the rise of agriculture and the emergence of civilization; Part II examines the classical era in global history, an era marked by the integration of large regions and diverse groups of people through overarching cultural and political systems. Global Connections: Concluding sections at the end of each chapter reiterate the chapter themes and issues and relate the developments discussed in the chapter to the rest of the world, thus underscoring the importance and relevance of the chapter material to the totality of global history. Part-opening Timelines identify key events and developments of the era under discussion. Chapter time lines highlight important events and trends of the period covered in the chapter.