The Human Journey
A Concise Introduction to World History, 1450 to the Present
2nd Edition
Published on 4. May 2018
Book
Hardback
240 pages
978-1-5381-0560-3 (ISBN)
Description
The Human Journey offers a truly concise yet satisfyingly full history of the world from ancient times to the present. The book's scope, as the title implies, is the whole story of humanity, in planetary context. Its themes include not only the great questions of the humanities-nature versus nurture, the history and meaning of human variation, the sources of wealth and causes of revolution-but also the major transformations in human history: agriculture, cities, iron, writing, universal religions, global trade, industrialization, popular government, justice, and equality.
In each conceptually rich chapter, leading historian Kevin Reilly concentrates on a single important period and theme, sustaining a focused narrative and analytical perspective. Chapter 2, for example, discusses the significance of bronze-age urbanization and the advent of the Iron Age. Chapter 3 examines the meaning and significance of the age of "classical" civilizations. Chapter 4 explains the spread of universal religions and new technologies in the postclassical age of Eurasian integration. But these examples also reveal a range of approaches to world history. The first chapter is an example of current "Big History," the second of history as technological transformations, the third of comparative history, the fourth the history of connections that dominates, and thus narrows, so many texts. Free of either a confined, limiting focus or a mandatory laundry list of topics, this book begins with our most important questions and searches all of our past for answers. Well-grounded in the latest scholarship, this is not a fill-in-the-blanks text, but world history in a grand humanistic tradition.
In each conceptually rich chapter, leading historian Kevin Reilly concentrates on a single important period and theme, sustaining a focused narrative and analytical perspective. Chapter 2, for example, discusses the significance of bronze-age urbanization and the advent of the Iron Age. Chapter 3 examines the meaning and significance of the age of "classical" civilizations. Chapter 4 explains the spread of universal religions and new technologies in the postclassical age of Eurasian integration. But these examples also reveal a range of approaches to world history. The first chapter is an example of current "Big History," the second of history as technological transformations, the third of comparative history, the fourth the history of connections that dominates, and thus narrows, so many texts. Free of either a confined, limiting focus or a mandatory laundry list of topics, this book begins with our most important questions and searches all of our past for answers. Well-grounded in the latest scholarship, this is not a fill-in-the-blanks text, but world history in a grand humanistic tradition.
More details
Edition
Second Edition
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Target group
College/higher education
US School Grade: From College Freshman to College Graduate Student
Illustrations
48 BW Illustrations, 15 Maps
Dimensions
Height: 263 mm
Width: 182 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight
553 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5381-0560-3 (9781538105603)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Kevin Reilly is professor of history at Raritan Valley College. He has also taught at Rutgers, Columbia, and Princeton.
Content
List of Illustrations
Preface
Chapter 1 The Long Prologue: From 14 Billion Years Ago
Chapter 2 The Brave New World of City, State, and Pasture: From 3000 BCE
Chapter 3 Eurasian Classical Cultures and Empires: 600 BCE-200 CE
Chapter 4 The Spread of New Ways in Eurasia: 200 CE-1000 CE
Chapter 5 The Making of an Afro-Eurasian Network: 1000 CE-1450 CE
Chapter 6 Parallel Worlds of Inner Africa, the Americas, and Oceania: Before 1450
Chapter 7 Empires and Encounters in the Early Modern Era: 1450-1750
Chapter 8 The Roots of Globalization: 1450-1750
Chapter 9 Breaking Out and the First Modern Societies: 1750-1900
Chapter 10 The Great Disturbance by Global Empires: 1750-1940
Chapter 11 The Modern World and Global Realignments: The Past Century
Chapter 12 Beneath the Surface of Globalization and Modernity:
The Past Century
Index
About the Author
Preface
Chapter 1 The Long Prologue: From 14 Billion Years Ago
Chapter 2 The Brave New World of City, State, and Pasture: From 3000 BCE
Chapter 3 Eurasian Classical Cultures and Empires: 600 BCE-200 CE
Chapter 4 The Spread of New Ways in Eurasia: 200 CE-1000 CE
Chapter 5 The Making of an Afro-Eurasian Network: 1000 CE-1450 CE
Chapter 6 Parallel Worlds of Inner Africa, the Americas, and Oceania: Before 1450
Chapter 7 Empires and Encounters in the Early Modern Era: 1450-1750
Chapter 8 The Roots of Globalization: 1450-1750
Chapter 9 Breaking Out and the First Modern Societies: 1750-1900
Chapter 10 The Great Disturbance by Global Empires: 1750-1940
Chapter 11 The Modern World and Global Realignments: The Past Century
Chapter 12 Beneath the Surface of Globalization and Modernity:
The Past Century
Index
About the Author