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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Accidents & Disasters Age of Revolutions The Ancient World Historians Historic Dynasties & Families Historic Nobility Global Exploration The Middle Ages Military Leaders The Modern World Prehistoric Age United States History Wars, Battles & Armed Conflicts

Featured content, December 26, 2022

Alfred the Great riding horse, Alfred of wessex
What was Alfred like as a governor of his kingdom?
What was Alfred like as a governor of his kingdom?
Portrait of Marie Antoinette by Jean-Francois Janinet, 1777. Color etching and engraving with gold leaf printed on two sheets, 30x13.5 in.
Did Marie-Antoinette Really Say “Let Them Eat Cake”?
Party like it’s 1789
A background with a view of earthen lamps arranged on the holy Swastika design made of flowers, during Diwali festival in India.
How the Symbolism of the Swastika Was Ruined
The swastika went from being a positive symbol to a negative one.
Paul Revere. "The bloody massacre perpetrated in King Street Boston on March 5th 1770 by a party of the 29th Regt.," engraved by Paul Revere. Boston Massacre.
There’s a Riot Goin’ On: Riots in U.S. History (Part One)
Exercise your right to assemble.
Encyclopædia Britannica: first edition, map of Europe
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: Boer troops
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
Mao Zedong, principal Chinese Marxist theorist, soldier, and statesman who led his country’s communist revolution. Mao was...
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan, Mongolian warrior-ruler, one of the most famous conquerors of history, who consolidated tribes into a unified...

World History Quizzes

"Napoleon on the Battlefield", France. French Emporeror Napoleon Bonaparte.
Napoleon I: Fact or Fiction?
You may think you know everything about Napoleon Bonaparte. But can you actually tell fact from fiction about this famous...
LOS ANGELES - FEB 08: Taylor Swift arrives to the Grammy Awards 2015 on February 8, 2015 in Los Angeles, CA
This Day in History Quiz: December 13
How much do you know about what happened in history on December 13? Take this quiz and find out.
Marble portrait bust of the emperor Gaius, known as Caligula. Roman Julio-Claudian period, 37-41 A.D.; 50.8 cm. In the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Caligula: Fact or Fiction?
Did Caligula really make his horse consul? Was he as mad as they say? Find out in this true or false quiz.
Nero (Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) (ad 50-54) the fifth Roman emperor (ad 54-68), stepson and heir of the emperor Claudius. Tyrannical, debauched and extravagant, he committed suicide in order to avoid being executed.
Nero: Fact or Fiction?
Did Nero start the great fire of Rome? Why did Nero start persecuting Christians? Find out with this quiz.
Old medieval wooden pirate military war ship with a cannon on the deck pointed out and aiming
Spot the Difference: Pirates, Privateers, Corsairs, and Buccaneers
Ahoy, matey! Can you tell the difference between these four types of seafaring scalawags? Find out here.
King Henry VIII of England, 16th century.
Quick Quiz: King Henry VIII
“Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.” Remember that rhyme and ace this quick quiz on Henry VIII.
Engraving of Solomon Northup, c. 1853. (Twelve Years a Slave, 12 Years a Slave, slavery, African-American, Black History)
The History of Slavery in North America Quiz
Which of England’s American colonies became the first to recognize slavery as a legal institution? Which colony had the largest...
Viking Ship
More Than Just Vikings: Swedish History Quiz
Who was the “Theatre King,” a keen patron of the arts who founded the first opera company in Stockholm? Who was the only...
Tecumseh. Battle of the Thames, Ontario, Canada, and the death of Tecumseh. Col. Richard M. Johnson with the Kentucky volunteers on left battle with Tecumseh and his Native troops. Native American Shawnee chief. North American indian. (See Notes)
Native American History Quiz
Who was the Shawnee chief, orator, military leader, and advocate of intertribal Indian alliance who directed resistance...
Ancient Egyptian carving of Pharaoh Seti I holding his flail before the god of the underworld Osiris with Horus behind him. Abydos Temple, Egypt. Ancient carving, on public display for 2,000 years
Archaeology: Great Discoveries Quiz
What is the name of the largest religious structure in the world? Who is considered the father of Egyptian archaeology? Test...

World History Videos

Use this animated map to learn about the Battle of Gettysburg
Use this animated map to learn about the Battle of Gettysburg
View researchers at Anthropological Institute in Göttingen studying on the world's oldest DNA family tree taken from Bronze Age found in Lichtenstein Cave, Harz mountains
View researchers at Anthropological Institute in Göttingen studying on the world's oldest DNA family tree taken from Bronze Age found in Lichtenstein Cave, Harz mountains
Explore the theories of lead poisoning or malaria among reasons for the decline of the Roman Empire
Explore the theories of lead poisoning or malaria among reasons for the decline of the Roman Empire
American Revolution: Paul Revere
American Revolution: Paul Revere
Discover the meaning and purpose of the Gettysburg Address delivered by President Abraham Lincoln
Discover the meaning and purpose of the Gettysburg Address delivered by President Abraham Lincoln
Learn about the Jewish partisan and their activities during World War II
Learn about the Jewish partisan and their activities during World War II
Learn how the Great Famine devastated the Irish population and sparked starvation and migration
Learn how the Great Famine devastated the Irish population and sparked starvation and migration
Learn about the history of the Siege of Vienna, 1683
Learn about the history of the Siege of Vienna, 1683
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World History
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World History Subcategories

Chile earthquake of 2010 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.
Articles
Louis XVI: execution by guillotine Age of Revolutions
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
ancient Middle East 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
Livy Historians
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
branches of the Medici family Historic Dynasties & Families
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
subcategory placeholder Historic Nobility
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
David Livingstone. Global Exploration
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Clement VII 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
Kemal Atatürk Military Leaders
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Kindertransport The Modern World
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Mississippian culture: Ocmulgee National Monument 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
Pearl Harbor attack 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
World War I 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.
Articles
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