World History

World History is the study of major civilizations, revolutions, empires, conflicts, and socio-political movements that shaped the global society. It includes the evolution of human civilizations from ancient to modern times across continents.

📅 MAJOR ERAS OF WORLD HISTORY

Era	Timeline	Highlights
Ancient History	Before 500 CE	Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Chinese civilizations
Medieval History	500 – 1500 CE	Feudalism, Rise of Islam, Crusades
Modern History	1500 – 1945 CE	Renaissance, Revolutions, World Wars
Contemporary History	1945 – Present	Cold War, Globalization, UN, Tech Revolution

🏛️ ANCIENT WORLD HISTORY

1. Egyptian Civilization (c. 3100 BCE – 332 BCE)

• Located near Nile River

• Achievements: Pyramids, Hieroglyphics, Calendar

• Pharaohs ruled as kings & gods

2. Mesopotamian Civilization

• Between Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

• Code of Hammurabi (first law code), Cuneiform script

3. Greek Civilization (800 BCE – 146 BCE)

• Birthplace of democracy, philosophy, Olympics

• Philosophers: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle

• City-states: Athens and Sparta

4. Roman Empire (27 BCE – 476 CE)

• Republican to imperial rule

• Julius Caesar, Augustus

• Architecture (Colosseum, roads), Roman Law

5. Chinese Civilization

• Dynasties: Shang, Zhou, Qin (Great Wall), Han

• Confucianism and Taoism originated here

⚔️ MEDIEVAL WORLD HISTORY

1. Rise of Islam (7th Century)

• Prophet Muhammad in Mecca

• Spread through West Asia, North Africa, Spain

• Caliphates: Umayyad, Abbasid

2. Byzantine Empire

• Eastern Roman Empire

• Capital: Constantinople

• Preserved Roman law & Greek culture

3. Feudalism in Europe

• Lord–Vassal system, Serfs

• Church held major influence

4. Crusades (1096–1291)

• Series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims over Jerusalem

💡 MODERN WORLD HISTORY

1. Renaissance (14th–17th Century)

• Rebirth of art, literature, and science in Europe

• Famous figures: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo

2. Age of Discovery (15th–17th Century)

• European exploration: Columbus (America), Vasco da Gama (India), Magellan (world voyage)

• Colonization of Asia, Africa, Americas

3. Reformation (1517)

• Martin Luther's protest against Catholic Church

• Division into Catholic & Protestant churches

4. American Revolution (1775–1783)

• USA gained independence from Britain

• Declaration of Independence (1776) by Thomas Jefferson

5. French Revolution (1789)

• Overthrew monarchy; slogan: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

• Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte

6. Industrial Revolution (1760–1840)

• Started in England; spread worldwide

• Inventions: Steam engine, Spinning Jenny

• Urbanization and factory system

7. Russian Revolution (1917)

• Overthrow of Tsar Nicholas II

• Rise of Bolsheviks (Lenin)

• Beginning of communism in Russia (USSR)

🌐 CONTEMPORARY WORLD HISTORY

1. World War I (1914–1918)

• Causes: Militarism, Alliances, Nationalism, Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand

• Allied Powers vs Central Powers

• Treaty of Versailles (1919) – Germany blamed

2. World War II (1939–1945)

• Causes: Treaty of Versailles, Rise of Hitler, Japanese expansion

• Axis (Germany, Italy, Japan) vs Allies (UK, USSR, USA)

• Holocaust, Hiroshima & Nagasaki

• Formation of United Nations (1945)

3. Cold War (1947–1991)

• USA (Capitalism) vs USSR (Communism)

• Key events: Cuban Missile Crisis, Korean War, Vietnam War, Space Race

4. Decolonization (Post-WWII)

• African, Asian countries gained independence

• Leaders: Gandhi (India), Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana), Nelson Mandela (South Africa)

5. Globalization & Modern Conflicts

• Fall of USSR (1991)

• Rise of China, Terrorism (9/11 attacks), EU formation, Climate agreements

👤 IMPORTANT FIGURES IN WORLD HISTORY

Name	Contribution
Napoleon Bonaparte	French military leader
Karl Marx	Founder of communism
Abraham Lincoln	Ended slavery in USA
Adolf Hitler	Nazi leader, WWII
Nelson Mandela	Anti-apartheid leader, S. Africa
Winston Churchill	British PM during WWII
Mikhail Gorbachev	End of USSR, Glasnost & Perestroika

📝 Practice Question - World History

Q1. Who invented the printing press?

a) Isaac Newton
b) Galileo
c) Johannes Gutenberg
d) Leonardo da Vinci
✅ Answer: c) Johannes Gutenberg

Q2. The American Revolution began in the year:

a) 1760
b) 1775
c) 1789
d) 1800
✅ Answer: b) 1775

Q3. Which country was first to industrialize?

a) Germany
b) France
c) USA
d) Britain
✅ Answer: d) Britain

Q4. Who led the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia?

a) Stalin
b) Lenin
c) Trotsky
d) Khrushchev
✅ Answer: b) Lenin

Q5. The Berlin Wall fell in:

a) 1985
b) 1989
c) 1991
d) 2000
✅ Answer: b) 1989

Q6. Hitler wrote which book during his imprisonment?

a) Mein Kampf
b) Das Kapital
c) The Prince
d) Republic
✅ Answer: a) Mein Kampf

Q7. Renaissance began in which country?

a) France
b) Italy
c) Germany
d) Spain
✅ Answer: b) Italy

Q8. Who was the US President during WWII?

a) Lincoln
b) Roosevelt
c) Truman
d) Wilson
✅ Answer: b) Roosevelt

Q9. The Cold War was mainly between:

a) USA and Germany
b) USSR and UK
c) USA and USSR
d) Japan and China
✅ Answer: c) USA and USSR

Q10. The United Nations was founded in:

a) 1919
b) 1939
c) 1945
d) 1947

✅ Answer: c) 1945