Want to know more about global history? This concise guide explains in clear detail all the major players and events that have made the world what it is today. Covering the entirety of human history, this comprehensive resource highlights important developments in everything from religion and science to art and war — giving you an understanding of how the 21st-century world came to be.

• Begin to connect with the past — label the eras as you meet the Neanderthals, home in on Homer, raise Atlantis, and preserve Pharaohs

• Find strength in numbers — trace the growth from ancient civilizations to today's global community and discover what makes societies succeed or fail

• Discover the impact of thought — explore the rise of religion, the roots of philosophy, and the advance of science — and how our feelings and beliefs continually redefined us

• Know the global consequences of war — ride with the Greeks and the Romans, arm yourself with the cavalry, dig the trenches, and follow the paths humans took to wage modern war

• Meet the movers and shakers — from great leaders and courageous revolutionaries to ruthless tyrants and unsung heroes

• Examine significant events of the 21st century — from 9/11 and the Afghanistan and Iraq wars to climate change, Hurricane Katrina, and the economic rise of China, India, and Brazil

Open the book and find:

• A detailed overview of history

• The development of the world's religions

• Reviews of essential historical documents, from the Bible to the Bill of Rights

• The invention of writing and art

• Scientific developments that revolutionized the world

• Capsule biographies of people who changed history — and a few who were changed by it

• Ten unforgettable dates in world history