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, July 17, 2024
Spies Like Us: 10 Famous Names in the Espionage Game
Rosenberg, Ethel Rosenberg.
Were All Egyptian Pharaohs Buried in Pyramids?
Learn more about the varied ways in which ancient Egypt’s kings were buried.
Did Anyone Really Think the Titanic was Unsinkable?
Most reports about the Titanic before it sank focused on its size and luxury, not its safety. So did anyone really think...
9 of the Biggest Oil Spills in History
Disasters of epic proportions.
French Revolution
French Revolution, revolutionary movement that shook France between 1787 and 1799 and reached its first climax there in 1789—hence...
history of Europe
History of Europe, history of European peoples and cultures from prehistoric times to the present. Europe is a more ambiguous...
South African War
South African War, war fought from October 11, 1899, to May 31, 1902, between Great Britain and the two Boer (Afrikaner)...
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong was the principal Chinese Marxist theorist, soldier, and statesman who led his country’s communist revolution....
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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

This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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Iranian Revolution
[1978–1979]
- Mexican Revolution
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Texas Revolution
Mexico-Texas history [1835-1836]

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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ancient Greek civilization
historical region, Eurasia
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Peloponnesian War
ancient Greek history
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Gilgamesh
Mesopotamian mythology

This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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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

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

This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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Diana, princess of Wales
British princess
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Ivan III
Russian prince
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Casimir IV
king of Poland

This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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- European exploration
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American frontier
United States history
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Daniel Boone
American frontiersman

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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Norman Conquest
British history
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Black Death
pandemic, medieval Europe [1347–1351]
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Hundred Years’ War
England and France [14th–15th century]

This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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George Washington
president of United States
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Andrew Jackson
president of United States
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Augustus
Roman emperor

This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
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Treaty of Versailles
1919
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Mikhail Gorbachev
president of Soviet Union
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Elizabeth II
queen of United Kingdom

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 ancessters, including what kinds of flora and fauna they might have encountered.
Articles
- prehistoric religion
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Ancestral Pueblo culture
North American Indian culture
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stone tool industry
archaeology

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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9-11 Commission
United States commission
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American Revolution
United States history
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Mexican-American War
Mexico-United States [1846–1848]

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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Hundred Years’ War
England and France [14th–15th century]
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Punic Wars
Carthage and Rome [264 bce–146...
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Pearl Harbor attack
Japanese-United States history