World History is an interesting topic that has many overarching themes. By understanding these common ideas, one can grasp the overall concept and can connect many eras of history. These recurring ideas can be used to your advantage and are key to truly understanding world history. There are six periods of world history, each characterized by the emergence of new ideas and developments in political, social, cultural, and economic aspects. Each period can be defined by a series of common characteristics including the rise and fall of civilizations, technological advancements, trans-regional interactions, industrialization, and political realignments.
Period One highlights the beginnings of human developments. This period describes the first human migrations, agricultural revolutions, such as the neolithic revolution, and the emergence of the first pastoral and urban societies.
Period Two is characterized by the development of methods of writing and recording. New codes of law began to emerge as new states and countries were established and stable. These states interacted and communicated through trade routes. Cultural ideas are established and are passed on from generation to generation
Period Three details the expansion and intensification of trade networks. State Forms continued to develop and improve internal conditions. New rivalries formed and interactions rose. Economic productivity reached an all time high as developing states worked toward bettered their economic position
Period Four is the period of global interactions. Global Networks of Communication and Exchange transformed trans-regional interactions. As states developed, intense social hierarchies emerged and as a result, specialization of jobs became prominent. As new jobs surfaced, new and improved modes of production were developed. The beginnings of imperialism surfaced in period four as state consolidation became increasingly important to countries. Nationlistic ideals began to appear and greatly influenced period five's rush for imperial power
Period Five can be summarized in the word "imperialism." As a result of new nationalistic ideals that surfaced in period four, imperialistic ideologies began to greatly influence powerful Western States. Powers began to race for imperial power in lesser countries. As a result of their subjugation, these less powerful countries began to express strong views regarding foreign influences. Xenophobia and nationalistic ideals strengthened and fueled ideas of reform and revolution. Global Migrations increased as a result of this foreign influence and characterized period five as a period transformed by imperialism.
Period Six is the last period of world history, and is a period most of us are familiar with. This was a time of decolonization when, as a result of reform and revolution, countries gained their independence and began to develop as new nations. World War 1 and 2 and the Cold War were fought as a result of global tensions, and had devastated countries all around. New ideas regarding the environment surfaced, such as those of the Green Revolution, and new, developing states began to form their own political structure. This unit is the time period in which we live in today, and was the final step in shaping the societies for the present and the future.