A comprehensive yet concise introduction to Western Civilization, designed to interest and engage contemporary students
Western Civilization: A Brief History is a concise one-volume survey that covers the subject’s ancient origins through to the early 21st century. Stressing social and intellectual history, rather than merely listing names and dates, this stimulating resource offers a more consistent and reader-friendly narrative than traditional textbooks. The author, with 40 years’ experience teaching college-level Western Civilization and World History courses, emphasizes topics that stimulate student interest and encourage classroom participation.
A mixture of Judeo-Christian, Greco-Roman, Germanic traditions, Western Civilization first appeared in Europe following the fall of the Roman Empire in the West. The text explores key events, figures, themes, and characteristics in the history of Western Civilization. Grouped into six parts, chapters include brief chronologies of events, maps, and illustrations. Topics include Europe in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Reformation, the rise of medieval Christianity, Darwin and the Theory of Evolution, the Industrial Revolution, imperialism, the World Wars of the 20th century, the Cold War, and many others. Written with the needs of today’s students in mind, this textbook:
- Offers accessible and straightforward coverage of the history of Western Civilization
- Provides a consistent style of writing and organizational theme
- Includes chronological overviews of ancient Greece, Rome, and the Near East
Western Civilization: A Brief History is an ideal introductory textbook for both traditional and non-traditional programs and Western Civilization courses at universities and colleges, as well as for those in dual enrollment and home school settings.
Table of Contents
Preface xiii
Acknowledgements xv
Part I Ancient and Classical Civilization: An Overview 1
1 The Cradle of Civilization 3
Birth of Civilization 5
Egypt 9
Hebrews 15
Hebrew Contribution to Western Civilization 17
Later Empires 19
References 20
2 The Ancient Greeks and Their World 21
Minoan Civilization 22
Mycenaean Civilization 23
The Dark Ages (c. 1100-800 bc) 25
The Archaic Age (c. 800-480 bc) 25
Sparta and Athens 27
Persian Wars (492-449 bc) 29
The Classical Age (c. 480-338 bc) 30
The Hellenistic Age (323-31 bc) 32
Greek Society 33
Women in Greek Society 33
Slaves in Greek Society 34
Sex in Greek Society 34
Greek Philosophy 35
The Greek Legacy 38
References 39
3 The Roman World 41
Early Republic 42
Early Conquest Under the Republic 44
Roman Expansion in the East 46
Decline of the Republic 47
Pax Romana 50
Roman Cultural Life 53
The Rise of Christianity 54
Decline of the Empire 56
References 60
Part II Europe in the Middle Ages: An Overview 61
4 The Birth of Europe 63
Early Germanic Kingdoms 64
Disintegration of the Carolingian Empire 70
New Invasions 70
Feudalism 72
Feudal System 73
Manorial System 74
Europe’s Neighbors 76
Rise of Islam 78
References 79
5 Dawn of the Age of Faith 81
Rise of the Papacy 82
Rise of Monasticism 84
Feudalism and the Church 85
Church Renewal 86
Crusades 88
Feudal Monarchies 92
England 93
France 96
Holy Roman Empire 96
References 100
6 The High Middle Ages, 1000-1300 101
Faith and Reason 102
Medieval Synthesis 108
Medieval Model of the Universe 109
Medieval Art and Literature 111
Late Middle Ages, 1300-1500 112
Famine 112
Plague 113
Hundred Years’ War, 1337-1453 115
References 118
Part III Birth of Modern Europe: An Overview 119
7 The Renaissance and Reformation 121
Renaissance Italy 121
Renaissance Humanism 125
Leading Italian Humanists 127
Northern Renaissance 130
Leading Christian Humanists 131
Renaissance Art and Culture 132
Protestant Reformation 133
Background133
Mainline and Radical Reformation 136
Martin Luther 136
Huldrich Zwingli 137
John Calvin 137
Reformation in England 138
Catholic Reformation 139
Conflicts among the Protestant Reformers 140
Assessment 141
References 142
8 New Horizons 143
Rise of the Nation]States 144
Spain 144
France 145
England 147
Holy Roman Empire 150
Exploration and Discovery 151
Scientific Revolution 154
From Copernicus to Newton 156
Bacon and Descartes 159
Significance of the Scientific Revolution 161
References 162
9 Age of Enlightenment and Revolution 163
Enlightenment 164
Enlightenment Political Theory 166
Social Contract Theorists 167
Thomas Hobbes 167
John Locke 168
Jean]Jacques Rousseau 169
Montesquieu 170
Enlightened Despotism 170
French Revolution and Napoleon 171
Background 171
Moderate Phase, 1789-1791 173
Radical Phase, 1792-1794 175
End of the Terror and Return of the Moderates, 1794-1799 176
Napoleonic Period, 1799-1815 177
Enlightened Despot 178
Empire 180
References 183
Part IV Nineteenth Century: An Overview 185
10 Europe's Great Powers in the Nineteenth Century 187
Vienna Congress 188
Concert System 190
Latin America, Britain, and the United States 192
Greek War for Independence 192
Decembrist Revolt 193
Revolutions of 1830-1832 194
Revolutions of 1848 195
France 196
Germany 198
Austria 199
Rome 200
Why the Revolutions Failed 201
Unification of Italy and Germany 202
Italy 202
Germany 203
Paris Commune 206
References 207
11 Industrial Revolution 209
Origins 210
A Second Industrial Revolution 214
Free Trade 215
Impact of the Industrial Revolution on Society 216
Child Labor 217
Women 219
Urbanization 220
Responses to Industrialization 221
Early Reform Efforts 223
Marxism and the Working Class 225
Marxism’s Appeal 227
Orthodoxy and Revision 228
Socialism in Britain 229
Anarchism 229
References 230
12 Nineteenth-Century Intellect and Culture 231
Romanticism 232
Romantic Revolt and Immanuel Kant's Idealism 235
A Second Scientific Revolution 236
Darwin and Evolution 237
Reaction to Darwin's Theory of Evolution 240
Christian Response to Darwin 241
Social Darwinism 242
Positivism 243
Realism and Naturalism 244
Revolt Against Reason 245
Friedrich Nietzsche 246
Bergson, Sorel, Freud, and Einstein 247
References 249
13 Nineteenth]Century Imperialism 251
New Imperialism 253
Motives 253
Colonial Empires 258
Scramble for Africa 258
India 261
China 263
Japan 266
Southeast Asia 269
American Empire 270
References 273
Part V The Crisis of Western Civilization: An Overview 275
14 The Great War: 1914-1918 277
Prelude to the Great War 278
Explosion in the Balkans 280
1914 281
War in the Trenches 282
Modern Weapons of War 285
1915 286
Sausage Machine: 1916 287
Home Front 289
War around the World 291
Year of Decision: 1917 292
End of the War: 1918 295
References 296
15 Peace and Disillusionment 297
Paris Peace Conference: 1919 298
League of Nations 303
Disillusionment 305
Culture 306
Art 307
Literature 310
Popular Culture 311
Social Impact 313
References 314
16 A Failed Peace: 1919-1939 317
Recovery and Prosperity 318
Great Britain 319
France 322
Weimar Germany 323
United States 326
Soviet Russia 330
Italy 332
The Great Depression 333
American Connection 333
Hitler’s Rise to Power 336
References 337
17 A Second Great War 339
Road to War in Europe 340
Totalitarianism 341
Hitler and the Appeasers: 1933-1939 342
Blitzkrieg 345
Road to War in the Pacific 349
Turning of the Tide 352
Banality of Evil 355
Holocaust 356
No Room 358
References 359
Part VI The End of Europe: An Overview 361
18 Cold War and Recovery: 1945-1962 363
Origins of the Cold War 364
1946 367
Containment 368
Cold War in Asia 371
China 371
Vietnam 373
Europe 375
To the Brink of Nuclear War 376
Postwar Recovery 378
Rise of Christian Democracy 380
Building the Welfare State 381
Postwar America 382
References 383
19 Cold War: 1962-1991 385
The Space Race 386
Globalizing the Cold War 387
Vietnam War 391
Turbulent 1960s 395
Paris: 1968 397
The Prague Spring: 1968 398
Economic Slump 399
Recovery 401
Revolution of 1989 and End of the Russian Revolution of 1917 401
References 406
20 A New World Order 409
Visions of a New World Order 410
War in the Balkans 413
Terrorism and War 414
Afghanistan 415
Iraq 416
Arab Spring 417
World Migration 417
The Search for Meaning in a Multicultural World 419
Culture 422
Popular Culture 424
2000-2019 425
Worldwide Internet 425
Probing the Limits of Space 426
Human Genome Project 427
Western Civilization and the World 428
References 428
Index 431
