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World History

Does history really repeat itself, or can we learn from the mistakes of those who came before us? History provides a chronological, statistical, and cultural record of the events, people, and movements that have made an impact on humankind and the world at large throughout the ages.
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Accidents & Disasters Age of Revolutions The Ancient World Historians Historic Dynasties & Families Historic Nobility Global Exploration The Middle Ages Military Leaders The Modern World Prehistoric Age United States History Wars, Battles & Armed Conflicts

Featured content, May 02, 2024

Battle of Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862, lithograph by Kurz and Allison, circa 1888.
9 Questions About the American Civil War Answered
Important questions asked and answered, briefly.
Cleopatra hieroglyphic carving the Ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Wall of the Temple of Horus at Edfu, Egypt.
What Did Cleopatra Look Like?
Cleopatra’s Beauty Was in the Beholder’s Eye
Statue of Alfred the Great in Winchester, Hampshire in south England, near the River Itchen, in the UK, Alfred of wessex
What were Alfred’s military achievements?
What were Alfred’s military achievements?
Civil rights activist Lucille Times; undated photo.
Did Lucille Times Boycott Buses Before Rosa Parks?
Six months before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, another woman took a stand against bus segregation in Alabama.
Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire, empire created by Turkish tribes in Anatolia (Asia Minor) that grew to be one of the most powerful states...
Jacques-Louis David: The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries
Napoleon I
Napoleon I was a French general, first consul (1799–1804), and emperor of the French (1804–1814/15), one of the most celebrated...
Industrial Revolution: spinning room
Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution, in modern history, the process of change from an agrarian and handicraft economy to one dominated...
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar was a celebrated Roman general and statesman, the conqueror of Gaul (58–50 bce), victor in the civil war of...

World History Quizzes

Abraham Lincoln, three quarter length portrait.
Abraham Lincoln
He is arguably the most-popular U.S. president, but how well do you really know Abraham Lincoln? Take our quiz to find out.
Undated photograph of Julius Nyerere, the first prime minister of Tanganyika, which eventually became Tanzania.
African Leaders: Part One
Do you think you can match these African leaders to the countries they’ve led? Test your knowledge with this quiz.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Carl Levin (R) (D-MI) asks Sec. of Defense Robert M. Gates a question as Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) looks on during a hearing in WA, D.C. concerning the future of Iraq, April 10, 2008. Ted Kennedy
Modern U.S. Political Scandals
How much do you know about political scandals? Test your knowledge of public officials behaving badly.
Salem Witch Trials. A women protests as one of her accusers, a young girl, appears to have convulsions. A small group of women were the source of accusations, testimony, and dramatic demonstrations.
Salem Witch Trials
Do you know what really happened at the Salem witch trials? Test your knowledge with this quiz.
Battle of Midway. Midway Islands. (left of panorama asset 160828) USS Astoria (CA-34) steams by USS Yorktown (CV-5), shortly after the carrier had been hit by 3 Japanese bombs on June 4, 1942. Dense smoke is from fires in Yorktown's uptakes. (notes)
Match the Battle with the War
Can you tell your Hastings from your Hattin?
Haile Selassie
African Leaders: Part Two
Do you think you can match these African leaders to the countries they’ve led? Test your knowledge with this quiz.
Gilbert Stuart, American, 1755-1828, John Adams, c. 1800/1815, oil on canvas, overall: 73.7 x 61 cm (29 x 24 in.), Gift of Mrs. Robert Homans, 1954.7.1, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Which John Adams?
Two U.S. presidents, one name: John Adams. Can you tell the father from the son? Prove it with this quiz.
Undated photograph of Julius Nyerere, the first prime minister of Tanganyika, which eventually became Tanzania.
Before They Were World Leaders: Africa Edition
Do you know what jobs these African leaders had before entering politics? Test your knowledge with this quiz.
The President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano at the Quirinale Palace (cropped out), shakes hands with the President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, Rome, Oct. 17, 2009. egypt protests 2011, protests in egypt 2011
Before They Were World Leaders: Middle East Edition
What did Middle East leaders do before they became leaders?
President Theodore Roosevelt delivering a speech, September 2, 1902. Teddy Roosevelt.
U.S. Presidential Firsts
How well do you know the U.S. presidents? Take this quiz to find out.

World History Videos

Learn about the regimented fighting and muskets used on both sides in the American Revolutionary War
Learn about the regimented fighting and muskets used on both sides in the American Revolutionary War
See how the ancient Greeks relied on myths and legends to explain religious, moral, and psychological problems
See how the ancient Greeks relied on myths and legends to explain religious, moral, and psychological problems
The nuclear history of Likiep atoll explained
The nuclear history of Likiep atoll explained
Learn how reading Shakespeare and the King James Bible helped Abraham Lincoln compose his best-remembered address in American history
Learn how reading Shakespeare and the King James Bible helped Abraham Lincoln compose his best-remembered address in American history
See the skylines and busy roads of Singapore
See the skylines and busy roads of Singapore
Hear Willy Brandt, West Berlin mayor on the future of West Germany, 1959
Hear Willy Brandt, West Berlin mayor on the future of West Germany, 1959
Learn about the culture of Mesopotamia in the Fertile Crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
Learn about the culture of Mesopotamia in the Fertile Crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
Postwar Germany: Surviving and rebuilding after 1945
Postwar Germany: Surviving and rebuilding after 1945
How Constantine the Great changed Rome forever
How Constantine the Great changed Rome forever
Learn how prisoners of war were treated during the American Civil War
Learn how prisoners of war were treated during the American Civil War
Image Gallery
World History
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World History Subcategories

Chile earthquake of 2010 Accidents & Disasters
Nature isn’t always peaceful and idyllic. Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and other powerful natural phenomena can have devastating consequences on communities and regions throughout the world. But nature is far from the only instigator of large-scale misfortune; human-made disasters and tragedies, both accidental and intentional, can cause significant misery, damage, and loss of life.
Articles
Louis XVI: execution by guillotine Age of Revolutions
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
ancient Middle East The Ancient World
The modern world may look very different from the world that existed in the time of ancient civilizations, but our modern-day life continues to show the influence of cultures, traditions, ideas, and innovations from hundreds of years ago. Learn more about important historical civilizations, sites, people, and events.
Articles
Livy Historians
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
branches of the Medici family Historic Dynasties & Families
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
subcategory placeholder Historic Nobility
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
David Livingstone. Global Exploration
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
subcategory placeholder The Middle Ages
The Middle Ages comprise the period in European history that began with the collapse of Roman civilization in the 5th century CE and lasted until the dawn of the Renaissance in the 13th, 14th, or 15th century. This interval of time saw the development of the Gothic style of art and architecture, flying buttresses and all. It was also the era of the Crusades and of papal monarchy, and it was during this period that the idea of Europe as a distinct cultural unit emerged.
Articles
Kemal Atatürk Military Leaders
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Kindertransport The Modern World
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Mississippian culture: Ocmulgee National Monument Prehistoric Age
The prehistoric age covers the millions of years that took place before human beings began to create written records of their life and of the world in which they lived. Archaeology and similar fields of study allow us to fill in the gaps and piece together an image of what life was like for our ancestors, including what kinds of flora and fauna they might have encountered.
Articles
Pearl Harbor attack United States History
As with most nations, the history of the United States contains a number of twists and turns throughout the centuries, from the time of the English colonization of North America up to the modern-day America that we're familiar with. Learn more about the people, events, and movements that left an indelible mark in history and shaped the development of the United States as a nation.
Articles
World War I Wars, Battles & Armed Conflicts
Wars, battles, and other domestic or international conflicts, whether armed or diplomatic, are often the outcome of a dispute over natural resources or a struggle for power, influence, and wealth. Major conflicts between nations, peoples, and political groups can end up shifting the cultural and political geography of the world and can also effect change, whether intentional or not, in societal values and the balance of power.
Articles
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