Introduction

Mankind has come a long way since our ancestors first stood up on two feet, but how did we get to where we are today? This book tells the story, through conflict and intrigue, power won and lost, great empires built and destroyed.

With over 350 illustrations, timelines and box features, A Short History of the World is a comprehensive and entertaining look at the ways in which man has spent his time on earth. Find out how the great Egyptian dynasties crumbled, how medieval Europe fell prey to the Black Death, how Enlightenment thinkers changed the course of history, and much more.

Sections include:

• The Prehistoric World
• The Ancient World
• The Classical World
• The Medieval World
• The Early Modern World
• The 19th-Century World
• The Modern World