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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.
Browse Subcategories
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, October 07, 2022

People watching fireworks.
Why Do Americans Celebrate the Fourth of July with Fireworks?
How fireworks became a part of patriotic celebration and why John Adams had nothing to do with it.
Defenestration of Prague, this incident marks the beginning of the Thirty Years' War in 1618.
Defenestration: Prague's History of Literally Throwing Authority Out the Window
Learn about Prague’s surprisingly rich history of defenestration.
Warren G. Harding, twenty-ninth president of the United States, date provided c. 1905 - 1945. (Warren Harding, presidents)
What Did It Look Like for a U.S. President to Condemn Racism in 1921?
In a 1921 speech, U.S. President Warren G. Harding argued for economic, political, and educational equality between white...
American troops at the front in Italy. American soldiers on the Piave (river) front hurling a shower of hand grenades into the Austrian trenches, Varage, Italy; September 16, 1918. (World War I)
Leaders of World War I
Learn more about the leaders of World War I.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Cold War
Cold War, the open yet restricted rivalry that developed after World War II between the United States and the Soviet Union...
Petrarch
Renaissance
Renaissance, (French: “Rebirth”) period in European civilization immediately following the Middle Ages and conventionally...
Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire, empire created by Turkish tribes in Anatolia (Asia Minor) that grew to be one of the most powerful states...
Jacques-Louis David: The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries
Napoleon I
Napoleon I, French general, first consul (1799–1804), and emperor of the French (1804–1814/15), one of the most celebrated...

World History Quizzes

Mount Rainier highest mountain in the state of Washington, United States, and in the Cascade Range.
U.S. States Dates of Admission to the Union Quiz
Do you know when California became a state? How about New York? Test your knowledge of when each of the 50 states became...
Saint Gregory I or Gregory the Great (c. 540-604), pope from 590 to 604. Undated copperplate engraving by Adrian Collaert (c.1520-67).
Popes and Antipopes
The papacy has existed for more than two millennia. Can you identify the years that every pope—and every antipope—held his...
Taj Mahal (Tadj Mahall), Agra, western Uttar Pradesh, India. (mausoleum, UNESCO World Heritage site)
Prime Ministers of India Quiz
Test your knowledge of when each of India’s prime ministers served in that office.
Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias on his voyage to the Cape of Good Hope; engraving, 1878. (exploration, Bartholomew Dias, Bartholomew Diaz)
Explorers and Explorations (Part One) Quiz
Who colonized New York? Where did James Cook first land in Australia? Take a voyage of discovery through this quiz to find...
Undated portrait engraving of Amerigo Vespucci.
Explorers and Explorations (Part Two) Quiz
Which English admiral circumnavigated the globe? Who initiated the Age of Discovery that began in the 15th century? Board...
Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm speaking and thanking delegates at the Democratic National Convention (third session), Miami Beach, Florida, July 12, 1972.
Who Was First? Quiz
Who was Ireland’s first woman president? Who was the first pope? Be the first to figure out how much you know about firsts...
The Battle of Trafalgar -oil on canvas by John Christian Schetky, ca. 1841; in the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut. Ships Man-of-War ship of the line warship
Which Battle? Quiz
In which battle were Antony and Cleopatra decisively defeated? How about Napoleon? Fight through this quiz and prove your...
George I (1660-1727) by Sir Godfrey Kneller, c. 1714. Portrait showing him in his coronation robes, wearing the chain of the Order of the Garter. His right hand rests on the Orb and the Crown is on the table.
Historic Firsts Quiz
There’s a first time for everything—and there’s a lot of everything across all of history. Take a deep dive into who, or...
Tutankhamen. Modern copy of Tutankhamun's sarcophagus aka funeral mask of king Tutankham. King Tut, Pharaoh, Egypt, mummy, Mummified, gold mask, Egyptian
Egyptian History Quiz
From the pyramids to the Suez Canal, Egypt has a vast history. How well do you know it? Test your knowledge with this quiz.
Flag of France
France: A History Quiz
What French woman was arrested for wearing men’s clothing? What French landmark was supposed to last only 20 years?

World History Videos

Understand how Washington organized the Continental Army while besieging the British forces in Boston
Understand how Washington organized the Continental Army while besieging the British forces in Boston
Hear U.S. President Richard M. Nixon announcing the January 1973 agreement to end the Vietnam War
Hear U.S. President Richard M. Nixon announcing the January 1973 agreement to end the Vietnam War
Learn about the U-2 incident and the collapse of the 1960 Paris summit
Learn about the U-2 incident and the collapse of the 1960 Paris summit
American Revolution: Paul Revere
American Revolution: Paul Revere
Explore the differences between the Union and the Confederate armies that fought in the American Civil War
Explore the differences between the Union and the Confederate armies that fought in the American Civil War
Learn about the civil unrest and the widespread revolution amongst the Germans after Germany's defeat in World War I leading to the abdication of Wilhelm II
Learn about the civil unrest and the widespread revolution amongst the Germans after Germany's defeat in World War I leading to the abdication of Wilhelm II
Witness Polish and Soviet partisans, including Jewish resistance fighters, disrupting German war efforts during World War II
Witness Polish and Soviet partisans, including Jewish resistance fighters, disrupting German war efforts during World War II
American Civil War: Vicksburg Campaign
American Civil War: Vicksburg Campaign
Witness the creation and collapse of the Berlin Wall separating East Germany and West Germany
Witness the creation and collapse of the Berlin Wall separating East Germany and West Germany
Discover the life of Sun Yat-sen as a patriot and a national hero
Discover the life of Sun Yat-sen as a patriot and a national hero
Image Gallery
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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