THIS SHORT HISTORY OF THE WORLD is meant to be read straightforwardly almost as a novel is read. It gives in themost general way an account of our present knowledge of history, shorn ofelaborations and complications. It has been amply illustrated and everythinghas been done to make it vivid and clear. From it the reader should be able toget that general view of history which is so necessary a framework for thestudy of a particular period or the history of a particular country. It may befound useful as a preparatory excursion before the reading of the author's muchfuller and more explicit Outline of History is undertaken. But its especial endis to meet the needs of the busy general reader, too driven to study the mapsand time charts of that Outline in detail, who wishes to refresh and repair hisfaded or fragmentary conceptions of the great adventure of mankind. It is notan abstract or condensation of that former work.

PREFACE

Ⅰ.THE WORLD IN SPACE

Ⅱ.THE WORLD IN TIME

Ⅲ.THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE

Ⅳ.THE AGE OF FISHES

Ⅴ.THE AGE OF THE COAL SWAMPS

Ⅵ.THE AGE OF REPTILES

Ⅶ.THE FIRST BIRDS AND THE FIRST MAMMALS

Ⅷ.THE AGE OF MAMMALS

Ⅸ.MONKEYS, APES AND SUB-MEN

Ⅹ.THE NEANDERTHALER AND THE RHODESIAN MAN

Ⅺ.THE FIRST TRUE MEN

Ⅻ.PRIMITIVE THOUGHT

ⅩⅢ.THE BEGINNINGS OF CULTIVATION

ⅩⅣ.PRIMITIVE NEOLITHIC CIVILIZATIONS

ⅩⅤ.SUMERIA, EARLY EGYPT AND WRITING

ⅩⅥ.PRIMITIVE NOMADIC PEOPLES

ⅩⅦ.THE FIRST SEA-GOING PEOPLES

ⅩⅧ.EGYPT, BABYLON AND ASSYRIA

ⅩlⅩ.THE PRIMITIVE ARYANS

ⅩⅩ.THE LAST BABYLONIAN EMPIRE AND THE EMPIRE OF DARIUS I

ⅩⅪ.THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE JEWS

ⅩⅫ.PRIESTS AND PROPHETS IN JUDEA

ⅩⅩⅢ.THE GREEKS

ⅩⅩⅣ.THE WARS OF THE GREEKS AND PERSIANS

ⅩⅩⅤ.THE SPLENDOUR OF GREECE

ⅩⅩⅥ.THE EMPIRE OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT

ⅩⅩⅦ.THE MUSEUM AND LIBRARY AT ALEXANDRIA

ⅩⅩⅧ.THE LIFE OF GAUTAMA BUDDHA

ⅩⅩⅨ.KING ASOKA

ⅩⅩⅩ.CONFUCIUS AND LAO TSE

ⅩⅩⅪ.ROME COMES INTO HISTORY

ⅩⅩⅫ.ROME AND CARTHAGE

ⅩⅩⅩⅢ.THE GROWTH OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

ⅩⅩⅩⅣ.BETWEEN ROME AND CHINA

ⅩⅩⅩⅤ.THE COMMON MAN'S LIFE UNDER THE EARLY ROMAN EMPIRE

ⅩⅩⅩⅥ.RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENTS UNDER THE ROMAN EMPIRE

ⅩⅩⅩⅦ.THE TEACHING OF JESUS

ⅩⅩⅩⅧ.THE DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINAL CHRISTIANITY

ⅩⅩⅩⅨ.THE BARBARIANS BREAK THE EMPIRE INTO EAST AND WEST

ⅩL.THE HUNS AND THE END OF THE WESTERN EMPIRE

ⅩLⅠ.THE BYZANTINE AND SASSANID EMPIRES

ⅩLⅡ.THE DYNASTIES OF SUY AND TANG IN CHINA

ⅩLⅢ.MUHAMMAD AND ISLAM

ⅩLⅣ.THE GREAT DAYS OF THE ARABS

ⅩLⅤ.THE DEVELOPMENT OF LATIN CHRISTENDOM

ⅩLⅥ.THE CRUSADES AND THE AGE OF PAPAL DOMINION

ⅩLⅦ.RECALCITRANT PRINCES AND THE GREAT SCHISM

ⅩLⅧ.THE MONGOL CONQUESTS

ⅩLⅨ.THE INTELLECTUAL REVIVAL OF THE EUROPEANS

L.THE REFORMATION OF THE LATIN CHURCH

LⅠ.THE EMPEROR CHARLES V

LⅡ.THE AGE OF POLITICAL EXPERIMENTS OF GRAND MONARCHY AND

PARLIAMENTS AND REPUBLICANISM IN EUROPE

LⅢ.THE NEW EMPIRES OF THE EUROPEANS IN ASIA AND OVERSEAS

LⅣ.THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE

LⅤ.THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THE RESTORATION OF MONARCHY IN FRANCE

LⅥ.THE UNEASY PEACE IN EUROPE THAT FOLLOWED THE FALL OF NAPOLEON

LⅦ.THE DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIAL KNOWLEDGE

LⅧ.THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

LⅨ.THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN POLITICAL AND SOCIAL IDEAS

LⅩ.THE EXPANSION OF THE UNITED STATES

LⅪ.THE RISE OF GERMANY TO PREDOMINANCE IN EUROPE

LⅫ.THE NEW OVERSEAS EMPIRES OF STEAMSHIP AND RAILWAY

LⅩⅢ.EUROPEAN AGGRESSION IN ASIA,AND THE RISE OF JAPAN

LⅩⅣ.THE BRITISH EMPIRE IN 1914

LⅩⅤ.THE AGE OF ARMAMENT IN EUROPE,AND THE GREAT WAR OF 1914-18

LⅩⅥ.THE REVOLUTION AND FAMINE IN RUSSIA

LⅩⅦ.THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE WORLD