Ancient History
| Wikibooks Ancient History Population, Governance, Philosophy, Invention, Combat, and Trade |
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| This project is a complete survey of Ancient History, listed by country and divided into the categories of Old World, New World, and Miscellaneous. The free nature of this project opens it to modification and change.
Instead of a chronological approach to history, this text assumes a geographical perspective. However, as it is important to also understand broad patterns within ancient history, each chapter covers a variety of material, though its title may suggest a specific region rather than a time period. |
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| Introduction
The study of ancient history covers the period between the origins of human beings' ancestors, and either the fall of Rome and Han-dynasty China, or the rise of Islam. |
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| Chapter 1 - World Geography
One of the most difficult part of ancient history to study is that the physical geography of the planet is largely the same. However, the political boundaries are unfamiliar to many who are learning for the first time. |
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| Chapter 2 - Human Evolution
Before there were cities or writing, human beings lived on Earth. How they lived, and how they got to be human, are matters of intense, passionate debate. This chapter examines the scientific perspective on the origins of human beings in the deep past, as well as the ways in which humans as a whole advanced between three million years and ten thousand years before the present-day. |
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| Chapter 3 - The Ancient Near East
The Ancient Near East is considered the cradle of civilization. It was the first to practice intensive year-round agriculture; it produced the first writing system, invented the potter's wheel and then the vehicular- and mill wheels, created the first centralized governments, law codes and empires, as well as introducing social stratification, slavery and organized warfare, and it laid the foundation for the fields of astronomy and mathematics. |
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| Chapter 4 - Ancient Egypt
From 5000BCE up till modern times, explore the history of the pyramids. |
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| Chapter 5 - Ancient China
See how the country of over 1 billion people began. |
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| Chapter 6 - Ancient India
Giving rise to Hinduism and Buddhism... |
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| Chapter 7 - Ancient Greece
Western civilization today views the culture of ancient Greece as one of its early ancestors. From the Greeks come ideas about democracy and freedom, theater, literature, science and ethics still considered important in the Western world today. The truth may be more complicated. |
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| Chapter 8 - Ancient Rome
From a small village to one of the most powerful empires and through the eventual collapse. |
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| Chapter 9 - Ancient Iran
Insert summary here |
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| Chapter 10 - Islam
Although not a geographical region, Islam is very important in ancient history and deserves its own chapter. Borrowing from the civilizations that went before, while adding new religious and cultural elements on top of them, Islam sprung from the Arabian peninsula in the early 8th century CE, to create a culture that served as a bridge between China, India, Africa and Europe. |
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| Chapter 11 - The Ancient Americas
North and South America were not barren. In Central America, the Olmecs, Maya, and Aztecs established proud civilizations that endured through successive periods of challenge and change. The Mound-Builder culture of central North America is just coming to light, while the Inca and other civilizations of South America show an intensive effort to use and manage the landscape. |
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| Chapter 12 - Ancient Africa
Though often derided as the "dark continent", Africa developed several important civilizations of its own, even discounting Egypt. Mali, Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Zimbabwe all hold the cradles of ancient civilizations within them. |
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| Chapter 13 - Ancient Polynesia
As people spread out across the Pacific to the islands both small and great, they carried with them foods, technology and culture that diversified and changed, even as it continued to unite across thousands of miles of open water. |
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| References
Glossary, Bibliography, Atlas, Gazeteer, selected biographies... Everything necessary to help make your understand of ancient history more complete. |
Modules not worked into TOC [edit]
Asia [edit]East Asia [edit]
South East Asia [edit] |
Europe [edit]
Middle East [edit] |