From the Age of Exploration to the turn of the 20th century, this book offers a detailed and meticulously researched account of the political and cultural trends that shaped the modern world. With its wide-ranging analysis and engaging prose, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of politics and culture. Written by esteemed historian George Peabody Gooch, this book is a definitive work on the subject. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.