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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Featured content, December 06, 2024
Ten Days That Vanished: The Switch to the Gregorian Calendar
In 1582 Pope Gregory XIII introduced a more accurate calendar. But switching over wasn’t easy.
Why Do Americans Celebrate the Fourth of July with Fireworks?
How fireworks became a part of patriotic celebration and why John Adams had nothing to do with it.
8 of the Largest Empires in History
Geopolitical giants
What Is the History of Juneteenth?
On June 19, 1865, enslaved Texans first learned of the Emancipation Proclamation—over two years after it was issued. Why...
Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution, in modern history, the process of change from an agrarian and handicraft economy to one dominated...
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 War II
World War II, conflict that involved virtually every part of the world during the years 1939–45. The principal belligerents...
American Revolution
The American Revolution was an insurrection carried out by 13 of Great Britain’s North American colonies that began in 1775...
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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.
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Chernobyl disaster
nuclear accident, Soviet Union [1986]
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Deepwater Horizon oil spill
environmental disaster, Gulf of Mexico [2010]
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Great Chicago Fire
American history
Age of Revolutions
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
- Mexican Revolution
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Texas Revolution
Mexico-Texas history [1835-1836]
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Cuban Revolution
Cuban history
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.
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Babylon
ancient city, Mesopotamia, Asia
- Aegean civilizations
- ancient Egypt
Historians
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
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Livy
Roman historian
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Jules Michelet
French historian
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Thomas Carlyle
British essayist and historian
Historic Dynasties & Families
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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Wei dynasty
Chinese history [386-534/535]
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Hōjō Family
Japanese family
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Fujiwara Family
Japanese family
Historic Nobility
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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Casimir IV
king of Poland
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Simon de Montfort, earl of Leicester
French noble
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Charles
duke of Burgundy
Global Exploration
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
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Meriwether Lewis
American explorer
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Leif Erikson
Norse explorer
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Christopher Columbus
Italian explorer
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
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Western Schism
Roman Catholic history
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Fall of Constantinople
Byzantine history [1453]
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Battle of Agincourt
European history
Military Leaders
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
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George Washington
1st president of the United States
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Andrew Jackson
7th president of the United States
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Augustus
Roman emperor
The Modern World
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
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Kindertransport
European history [1938–1940]
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Spanish Inquisition
Spanish history [1478–1834]
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two-state solution
Israeli-Palestinian history
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.
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stone tool industry
archaeology
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Acheulean industry
prehistoric toolmaking
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dolmen
archaeology
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
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United States presidential election of 1972
United States government
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9-11 Commission
United States commission
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American Revolution
United States history
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.
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Napoleonic Wars
European history
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American Revolution
United States history
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Chinese Civil War
1945–1949