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, September 16, 2024
Did Marie-Antoinette Really Say “Let Them Eat Cake”?
Party like it’s 1789
5 Unbelievable Facts About Christopher Columbus
Did you learn this in school? We sure didn’t.
6 Teenagers Who Made History
Youth wasn’t wasted on these young people.
What Is the Origin of the Term “Jim Crow”?
From the end of Reconstruction until the 1960s, racial segregation in the American South was enforced with so-called Jim...
Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire, empire created by Turkish tribes in Anatolia (Asia Minor) that grew to be one of the most powerful states...
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
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...
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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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Great Famine
famine, Ireland [1845–1849]
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complex humanitarian emergency
disaster event
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Chernobyl disaster
nuclear accident, Soviet Union [1986]
Age of Revolutions
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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Russian Revolution
Russian history [1917]
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Iranian Revolution
[1978–1979]
- Mexican Revolution
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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Peloponnesian War
ancient Greek history
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Gilgamesh
Mesopotamian mythology
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Zhou dynasty
Chinese history
Historians
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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A.J.P. Taylor
British historian and journalist
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Thucydides
Greek historian
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Edward Gibbon
British historian
Historic Dynasties & Families
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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Medici family
Italian family
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Tang dynasty
Chinese history
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house of Este
Italian family
Historic Nobility
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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Robert
duke of Apulia
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Mohammed bin Salman
Saudi Arabian prince
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Philip
landgrave of Hesse
Global Exploration
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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Sir Francis Drake
English admiral
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William Clark
American explorer
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Meriwether Lewis
American 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.
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Battle of Agincourt
European history
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Magna Carta
England [1215]
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Charlemagne
Holy Roman emperor [747?–814]
Military Leaders
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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Kemal Atatürk
president of Turkey
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Oliver Cromwell
English statesman
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Hannibal
Carthaginian general [247-c.181 BCE]
The Modern World
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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two-state solution
Israeli-Palestinian history
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Winston Churchill
prime minister of United Kingdom
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Vietnam War
1954–1975
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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Mississippian culture
ancient North American culture
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Mogollon culture
North American Indian culture
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Stonehenge
ancient monument, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom
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.
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Spanish-American War
Spain-United States
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assassination of John F. Kennedy
United States history
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Afghanistan War
2001–2014
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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Pacific War
theater of war, World War II
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Wars of the Roses
English history
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Napoleonic Wars
European history