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World History

Does history really repeat itself, or can we learn from the mistakes of those who came before us? History provides a chronological, statistical, and cultural record of the events, people, and movements that have made an impact on humankind and the world at large throughout the ages.
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Accidents & Disasters Age of Revolutions The Ancient World Historians Historic Dynasties & Families Historic Nobility Global Exploration The Middle Ages Military Leaders The Modern World Prehistoric Age United States History Wars, Battles & Armed Conflicts

Featured content, March 08, 2025

General Ulysses S. Grant at his headquarters in Cold Harbor, Virginia, 1864. Civil War, Union Army, General Grant, General Ulyssess Grant.
How was Ulysses S. Grant involved in the Civil War?
How was Ulysses S. Grant involved in the Civil War?
American troops at the front in Italy. American soldiers on the Piave (river) front hurling a shower of hand grenades into the Austrian trenches, Varage, Italy; September 16, 1918. (World War I)
Leaders of World War I
Learn more about the leaders of World War I.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II smiles to the crowd from Buckingham Palace (London, England) balcony at the end of the Platinum Pageant in London on June 5, 2022 as part of Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee celebrations. The curtain comes down on four days of momentous nationwide celebrations to honor Queen Elizabeth II's historic Platinum Jubilee with a day-long pageant lauding the 96 year old monarch's record seven decades on the throne. (British royalty)
Elizabeth II: A Life in Pictures
Remembering a life of dignity, grace, and duty.
Amendments 1-10 to the Constitution of the United States constitute what is known as the Bill of Rights on an American flag.
What Is the Emoluments Clause?
How a single line of the U.S. Constitution guards against improper foreign influence on federal officeholders.
Europe after the Thirty Years' War, 1648
Thirty Years’ War
Thirty Years’ War, (1618–48), in European history, a series of wars fought by various nations for various reasons, including...
Louis XVI: execution by guillotine
French Revolution
French Revolution, revolutionary movement that shook France between 1787 and 1799 and reached its first climax there in 1789—hence...
Encyclopædia Britannica: first edition, map of Europe
history of Europe
History of Europe, history of European peoples and cultures from prehistoric times to the present. Europe is a more ambiguous...
South African War: Boer troops
South African War
South African War, war fought from October 11, 1899, to May 31, 1902, between Great Britain and the two Boer (Afrikaner)...

World History Quizzes

Cleopatra hieroglyphic carving the Ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Wall of the Temple of Horus at Edfu, Egypt.
Cleopatra: Fact or Fiction?
Was Cleopatra a manipulative imperialist? A gifted scholar and ruler? A romantic heroine? Press “start” on this quiz to see...
Detail showing Alexander the Great from "Alexander and Porus" oil on canvas by Charles Le Brun; in the collection of the Louvre, Paris, France.
Alexander the Great: Fact or Fiction?
Alexander the Great’s reign marked a turning point in European and Asian history. But how much do you really know about him?...
Pirate Ship leaving the harbor at the milky way sunset for a long campaign against the loyal marines on the oceans
True or False: What Makes a Pirate?
Ahoy, matey! You know how to talk the pirate talk, but what about walking the pirate walk? See how much you know about what...
"Napoleon on the Battlefield", France. French Emporeror Napoleon Bonaparte.
Napoleon I: Fact or Fiction?
You may think you know everything about Napoleon Bonaparte. But can you actually tell fact from fiction about this famous...
LOS ANGELES - FEB 08: Taylor Swift arrives to the Grammy Awards 2015 on February 8, 2015 in Los Angeles, CA
This Day in History Quiz: December 13
How much do you know about what happened in history on December 13? Take this quiz and find out.
Marble portrait bust of the emperor Gaius, known as Caligula. Roman Julio-Claudian period, 37-41 A.D.; 50.8 cm. In the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Caligula: Fact or Fiction?
Did Caligula really make his horse consul? Was he as mad as they say? Find out in this true or false quiz.
Nero (Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) (ad 50-54) the fifth Roman emperor (ad 54-68), stepson and heir of the emperor Claudius. Tyrannical, debauched and extravagant, he committed suicide in order to avoid being executed.
Nero: Fact or Fiction?
Did Nero start the great fire of Rome? Why did Nero start persecuting Christians? Find out with this quiz.
Old medieval wooden pirate military war ship with a cannon on the deck pointed out and aiming
Spot the Difference: Pirates, Privateers, Corsairs, and Buccaneers
Ahoy, matey! Can you tell the difference between these four types of seafaring scalawags? Find out here.
King Henry VIII of England, 16th century.
Quick Quiz: King Henry VIII
“Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.” Remember that rhyme and ace this quick quiz on Henry VIII.
Engraving of Solomon Northup, c. 1853. (Twelve Years a Slave, 12 Years a Slave, slavery, African-American, Black History)
The History of Slavery in North America Quiz
Which of England’s American colonies became the first to recognize slavery as a legal institution? Which colony had the largest...

World History Videos

The turbulent love life of Henry VIII
The turbulent love life of Henry VIII
Hannibal: One of the greatest generals of ancient times
Hannibal: One of the greatest generals of ancient times
Witness the inaugural address of President Jimmy Carter at Washington, D.C., January 20, 1977
Witness the inaugural address of President Jimmy Carter at Washington, D.C., January 20, 1977
How Arminius led a Germanic defeat of Rome
How Arminius led a Germanic defeat of Rome
Ensuring maritime safety through hydrographic surveys
Ensuring maritime safety through hydrographic surveys
Learn how the Wagner Act was a victory for organized labour but excluded semiskilled and unskilled labourers
Learn how the Wagner Act was a victory for organized labour but excluded semiskilled and unskilled labourers
How much did Germans know about the Holocaust?
How much did Germans know about the Holocaust?
Auschwitz trials in West Germany explained
Auschwitz trials in West Germany explained
Witness the entry of the U.S. into international politics as Theodore Roosevelt successfully ends the Russo-Japanese War of 1905
Witness the entry of the U.S. into international politics as Theodore Roosevelt successfully ends the Russo-Japanese War of 1905
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World History
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World History Subcategories

Chile earthquake of 2010 Accidents & Disasters
Nature isn’t always peaceful and idyllic. Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and other powerful natural phenomena can have devastating consequences on communities and regions throughout the world. But nature is far from the only instigator of large-scale misfortune; human-made disasters and tragedies, both accidental and intentional, can cause significant misery, damage, and loss of life.
Articles
Louis XVI: execution by guillotine Age of Revolutions
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
ancient Middle East The Ancient World
The modern world may look very different from the world that existed in the time of ancient civilizations, but our modern-day life continues to show the influence of cultures, traditions, ideas, and innovations from hundreds of years ago. Learn more about important historical civilizations, sites, people, and events.
Articles
Livy Historians
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
branches of the Medici family Historic Dynasties & Families
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
subcategory placeholder Historic Nobility
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
David Livingstone. Global Exploration
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
The Western Schism and the Roman Catholic Church The Middle Ages
The Middle Ages comprise the period in European history that began with the collapse of Roman civilization in the 5th century CE and lasted until the dawn of the Renaissance in the 13th, 14th, or 15th century. This interval of time saw the development of the Gothic style of art and architecture, flying buttresses and all. It was also the era of the Crusades and of papal monarchy, and it was during this period that the idea of Europe as a distinct cultural unit emerged.
Articles
Kemal Atatürk Military Leaders
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Kindertransport The Modern World
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Mississippian culture: Ocmulgee National Monument Prehistoric Age
The prehistoric age covers the millions of years that took place before human beings began to create written records of their life and of the world in which they lived. Archaeology and similar fields of study allow us to fill in the gaps and piece together an image of what life was like for our ancestors, including what kinds of flora and fauna they might have encountered.
Articles
Pearl Harbor attack United States History
As with most nations, the history of the United States contains a number of twists and turns throughout the centuries, from the time of the English colonization of North America up to the modern-day America that we're familiar with. Learn more about the people, events, and movements that left an indelible mark in history and shaped the development of the United States as a nation.
Articles
World War I Wars, Battles & Armed Conflicts
Wars, battles, and other domestic or international conflicts, whether armed or diplomatic, are often the outcome of a dispute over natural resources or a struggle for power, influence, and wealth. Major conflicts between nations, peoples, and political groups can end up shifting the cultural and political geography of the world and can also effect change, whether intentional or not, in societal values and the balance of power.
Articles
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