本教材通过世界历史和中国历史两条主线，以为学生提供一本编年简史类的专业英语教材。书中的选材涉及了政治、经济、战争、条约、宗教、科学技术、文化思想等广泛的领域；教材精选了部分原始文档，节选了部分国外和国内著名历史学家和政治家的英文原版论著和英译名著，强化了史学的学术性和英语语言的学术性。

本教材分两大部分：世界史22章，中国史12章。每章开始简单介绍本章涵盖内容，主体由两部分组成：A．某段通史资料；B．文献史料或论著节选。随后有历史和语言难点的注释，最后是思考问答题和翻译练习题。

Preface

Part One Western Civilization

Ⅰ The Ancient World: Foundations of the West To A. D. 500

  1 The Ancient Near East: The First Civilizations

  2 The Greeks: From Myth to Reason

  3 The Romans: From City-State to World Empire

  4 Early Christianity: A World Religion

Ⅱ The Middle Ages: The Christian Centuries A. D. 500～1400

  5 The Rise of Europe: Fusion of Classical, Christian, and German Traditions

  6 The Flowering of Medieval Civilization: The Christian Synthesis

Ⅲ The Rise of Modernity: From the Renaissance to the Enlightenment 1350 ～1789

  7 Transition to the Modern Age: Renaissance and Reformation

  8 Political and Economic Transformation: National States, Overseas Expansion,Commercial Revolution

  9 Intellectual Transformation: The Scientific Revolution and the Age of Enlightenment

Ⅳ The Modern West: From the Bourgeoisie Revolution to the Industrial Age 1640～1914

  10 The Triumph of England's Parliament: Constitutional Monarchy and Cabinet Government

  11 The American Revolution: Independence and Civil War

  12 The Era of the French Revolution: The Affirmation of Liberty and Equality

  13 Ferment of Ideas: Romanticism, Conservatism, Liberalism, Nationalism

  14 The Industrial Revolution: The Transformation of Society

  15 Europe in the Industrial Age: Modernization and Imperialism

Ⅴ Western Civilization in Crisis: World Wars and Totalitarianism 1914～1945

  16 World War I: The West in Despair

  17 The Soviet Union: Modernization and Totalitarianism

  18 The Era of Fascism: The Attack on Reason and Freedom

  19 World War II: Western Civilization in the Balance

Ⅵ The Contemporary World: The Global Age Since 1945

  20 Europe After 1945: Recovery, Realignment, Division

  21 U.S. After 1945: Hegemonic Position

  22 The New Globalism: Problems and Prospects

Part Two Chinese Civilization

Ⅰ Ancient Chinese Civilization: One of the Four Great Ancient Civilizations

  1 Four Great Inventions: the Compass, Gunpowder, Papermaking,and Printing

  2 Three Schools of Thoughts in Ancient: Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism

  3 The First Emperor of Imperial China: Qin Shi Huangdi

  4 The Greatest Dynasty of Imperial China: Hen Dynasty

  5 The Classical Literature: The Poetry in Tang and Song Dynasties

Ⅱ Emergence of Modern China: The Semi-Colonial and Semi-Feudalism China

  6 The Opium War: Western Powers Arrive

  7 The Growing up of the Chinese Modem History: The Self-Strengthening Movement

  8 The Revolution of 1911 : Turning Point in Modern Chinese History

Ⅲ Modern Chinese Polities: From “Dark” to ”Bright”

  9 The New Culture Movement: the Basis for May Fourth Movement

  10 Rise of the Communists: Leader Mao Zedong

  11 Anti-Japanese War: Kuomintang and CCP United Front Against Japan

  12 Civil War: the Triumph of Communist Party

Main References

Postscript