This expansive work of history covers the major events and civilizations of human history, from ancient times to the early 20th century. Written by a team of distinguished historians, it provides a comprehensive and authoritative overview of the rise and fall of empires, the achievements of great leaders and thinkers, and the social and cultural forces that have shaped the world we live in today. 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.