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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Age of RevolutionsThe Ancient WorldHistoriansHistoric NobilityGlobal ExplorationThe Middle AgesMilitary LeadersThe Modern WorldPrehistoric AgeUnited States History
Featured content, June 08, 2024
Pirates, Privateers, Corsairs, Buccaneers: What’s the Difference?
What we talk about when we talk about pirates.
5 Fast Facts About Vikings
Come aboard!
9 Infamous Assassins and the World Leaders They Dispatched
Meet the people behind the guns.
Rosa Parks, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the Birth of the Civil Rights Movement
How Rosa Parks became “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement”
Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire, the eastern half of the Roman Empire, which survived for a thousand years after the western half had crumbled...
Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution, (1910–20), a long and bloody struggle among several factions in constantly shifting alliances which resulted...
Seven Years’ War
Seven Years’ War, (1756–63), the last major conflict before the French Revolution to involve all the great powers of Europe....
Thirty Years’ War
Thirty Years’ War, (1618–48), in European history, a series of wars fought by various nations for various reasons, including...
World History Quizzes
World Heritage Sites in France Quiz
Which giant bridge-aqueduct was constructed in the 1st century CEto carry water to the city now calledNîmes?...
By All Military Meanings Necessary: Vocab Quiz
First used in the 15th century, which word means “military operations between enemies”? Taken into English from French, which...
Roman and Byzantine Emperors Quiz
The Roman Empire and its eastern half, the Byzantine Empire, together lasted well over a thousand years. How well do you...
Match the Quote to the Speaker: American Speeches
Presidents, civil rights activists, and more: American history includes many famous and influential speeches that changed...
Which English Words Have Native American Origins?
Which mammal’s English name traces back to an Algonquian word meaning “white animal”? The English name of which antlered...
Women in Power Quiz
Empresses, queens, prime ministers, and more—throughout history there have been many notable women in positions of power....
Emperors and Empresses from Around the (Non-Roman) World Quiz
You may know the emperors of ancient Rome, but do you know emperors and empresses from China, Russia, the Holy Roman Empire,...
Understanding the Titanic Disaster
While the doomed ocean liner Titanic might be the most famous ship in the world, how well do you really know its...
Understanding the Ottoman Empire
What locations were under Ottoman rule? Who were some of the most notable Ottoman leaders? This quiz will test what you know...
Understanding the American Revolution
You may be familiar with the road to the Declaration of Independence, but how much do you know about the war that delivered...
World History Videos
Listen to heart-wrenching stories of Kindertransport during WWII
Examine the ways in which mythology functioned for the ancient Greek population
Discover more about Copperhead opposition to Abraham Lincoln during the U.S. presidential election of 1864
See how German troops parachuted behind the Maginot Line as part of the blitzkrieg against Allied forces
Examine the state of the U.S.-backed and Diem-led South Vietnamese army against the communist Viet Cong
Learn how General Robert E. Lee met George McClellan's forces at Antietam Creek in Maryland
See the recovery effort of Nepal after the 2015 earthquake, particularly in helping the children
Listen to a surgeon sharing his experiences of treating survivors of the Haiti earthquake of 2010
Why did the German-led invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 fall short?
Learn how the ancient Greeks and later Romans used barbarian to refer to peoples outside Greece and Rome
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World History
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World History Subcategories
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
- Titanic
ship
- Eastland disaster
maritime disaster, Chicago River, Chicago, Illinois,...
- Ebola outbreak of 2014–16
Age of Revolutions
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
- Meiji Restoration
Japanese history
- Haitian Revolution
Haitian history
- Glorious Revolution
English history [1688–1689]
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.
Articles
- ancient Middle East
historical region, Asia
- history of Mesopotamia
historical region, Asia
- Han dynasty
Chinese history
Historians
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
- Livy
Roman historian
- Jules Michelet
French historian
- Thomas Carlyle
British essayist and historian
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
- Barmakids
ʿAbbāsid viziers
- Wei dynasty
Chinese history [386-534/535]
- Hōjō Family
Japanese family
Historic Nobility
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
- Louis IV
Holy Roman emperor
- Diana, princess of Wales
British princess
- Ivan III
Russian prince
Global Exploration
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
- René-Robert Cavelier, sieur de La Salle
French explorer
- Baroque art and architecture
- Ann Bancroft
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.
Articles
- Battle of Tours
European history [732]
- Norman Conquest
British history
- Black Death
pandemic, medieval Europe [1347–1351]
Military Leaders
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
- Frederick II
king of Prussia
- George Washington
president of United States
- Andrew Jackson
president of United States
The Modern World
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
- League of Nations
international organization
- Fidel Castro
political leader of Cuba
- Tokugawa period
Japanese 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.
Articles
- Stone Age
anthropology
- prehistoric religion
- Ancestral Pueblo culture
North American Indian culture
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
- 9-11 Commission
United States commission
- American Revolution
United States history
- 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.
Articles
- World War II
1939–1945
- Crusades
Christianity
- Battle of Thermopylae
Greek history [480 bc]
