Exploring World History through Geography: From the Cradle of Civilization to a Globalized World

375 Pages·2022·56.569 MB·English

by  Julie Crea Dunbar

Exploring World History
through Geography

Exploring World History
through Geography
From the Cradle of Civilization to
a Globalized World
Julie Crea Dunbar
Copyright © 2022 by ABC-CLIO, LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in
writing from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Crea Dunbar, Julie, author.
Title: Exploring world history through geography : from the cradle of
civilization to a globalized world / Julie Crea Dunbar.
Other titles: From the cradle of civilization to a globalized world
Description: Santa Barbara, California : ABC-CLIO, [2022] | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022008515 | ISBN 9781440872921 (hardcover) | ISBN
9781440872938 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: World history. | Historical geography.
Classification: LCC D21.5 .D86 2022 | DDC 911—dc23/eng/20220222
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022008515
ISBN: 978-1-4408-7292-1 (print)
978-1-4408-7293-8 (ebook)
26 25 24 23 22 1 2 3 4 5
This book is also available as an eBook.
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This book is printed on acid-free paper
Manufactured in the United States of America
Contents
Preface vii
Introduction ix
1. Ancient Mesopotamia 1
2. Ancient Egypt 16
3. Ancient Greece 34
4. Ancient Rome 50
5. China 65
6. Mesoamerican Civilizations 79
7. South American Civilizations 94
8. North American Civilizations 111
9. The Byzantine Empire 126
10. The Islamic World 142
11. Europe in the Middle Ages 159
12. The Age of Exploration 176
13. Sub-Saharan African Kingdoms 195
14. Australia and Oceania 212
15. The Industrial Revolution 228
16. Colonizing Africa 245
17. World War I 262
18. World War II 278
vi Contents
19. The Cold War 294
20. Middle East Resource Conflicts 312
21. Global Challenges of the 21st Century 330
Bibliography 347
Index 351
Preface
Exploring World History through Geography: From the Cradle of Civilization to
a Globalized World takes readers on a journey through time from many of the
earliest world civilizations right into the 21st century. Not your run-of-the-mill
world history tome, this book examines world history through the closely related
discipline of geography. Beginning with the early civilizations of ancient Mesopo-
tamia, readers will learn how humans interacted with the environment around
them, as well as the environment’s role in not only shaping the society’s world-
view but also enabling them to build socially stratified and successful civiliza-
tions. Additionally, the book examines how civilizations interacted with others
from developing cross-boundary trade to initiating wars of expansion, to the
intentional and unintentional spread, or diffusion, of culture across political
boundaries. Finally, the development of the study and application of geography
within civilizations, such as the creation and use of maps, the study of cultures
and Earth’s processes, and the use—and abuse—of geographic theory in the pur-
suit of war is also included.
In 21 chronologically arranged chapters, Exploring World History through
Geography dives into a broad and global selection of history’s major civilizations,
including the dynasties of ancient Egypt; the Roman and Byzantine empires; Chi-
na’s great dynasties; the kingdoms of Aksum and Kilwa; the Maya, Aztec, and
Inca empires; as well as the civilizations of Oceania, among many others. In later
chapters, the focus broadens as the advent of long-distance transportation, the
Industrial Revolution, and finally globalization makes a focus on events, such as
the world wars, the Cold War, and resource conflicts in the Middle East relevant.
Written for high school and college students, as well as general readers, each
accessible chapter provides an overview of the topic, illustrated with contextual-
ized visual, textual, and statistical primary sources, and sidebars that explain rel-
evant geographic themes and topics and dive deeper into fascinating details
mentioned in the text. In addition, each chapter closes with further readings, as
well as a timeline of events discussed in the chapter, juxtaposed against events
happening in other parts of the world, for a truly global view. And of course, it
wouldn’t be a geography book without a liberal application of maps.
Exploring World History through Geography is intended to be read cover to
cover for the best understanding, although each chapter could be read independently
viii Preface
of the others. The civilizations and events represented in the book, while not
exhaustive, were selected to highlight geographic themes and areas of study. Upon
completing the book, readers should have a firm understanding of the expansive,
cross-curricular study of geography—from the study of world cultures and history
to politics, to the environment and Earth’s physical processes. In addition, they will
have a new understanding of the relevance of geography to not only human history
but also contemporary events, as well as their day-to-day lives. By presenting this
history from a slightly different, geographic point of view, it is my greatest wish to
instill in readers a fresh curiosity in the world around us, both past and present.
Like the book, my background is a unique blend of geography, history, and
storytelling. I obtained my BA in human geography from the University of
Colorado-Boulder and my MFA in writing from Naropa University-Boulder, and I
completed graduate-level coursework in history at the University of Texas-
Arlington. I am the editorial manager of ABC-CLIO Solutions, a suite of social
studies databases that is carried in high schools as well as colleges and public
libraries across the United States. My passion is to not only make social studies
accessible to high school learners but also spark a lifelong curiosity in learning. I
wrote this book over the course of three years, carefully curating the material to
provide a holistic view of geography’s role in the rise—and fall—of civilizations.
Drs. Frank Thackeray and John Findling, history professors emeriti (Indiana Uni-
versity Southeast), provided their editorial and historical guidance in the creation
of the book and exhaustively reviewed each chapter. I would like to thank them for
the gracious gift of their time, expertise, and endless encouragement.
Introduction
The first recorded use of the word “geography” was by Eratosthenes, an ancient
Greek scholar who lived between 276 and 194 BCE. The word means, simply, to
write about or describe the Earth. Today, the study of geography is frequently mis-
understood to be simply a catalog of places or environmental trivia. Yet, it is so
much more. It’s the study of our planet and everything on it. Open a National
Geographic magazine and you’ll find stories on anything from endangered occu-
pations such as snake charmers or broom-makers to jaguars and their Central and
South American habitats, to Africa’s high-tech generation—this is all geography.
Geography is both an earth science and a social science. It supplements know-
ledge from many fields of study, such as geology, meteorology, anthropology, pol-
itical science, and economics, with spatial inquiry. It is the study of Earth’s
physical and human processes and patterns across space. Indeed, it is the study of
everything from plate tectonics, ecosystems, and climate to cultures, politics, and
how humans adapt to their environment.
The study of Earth’s processes falls under the branch of physical geography,
while the study of human-related processes falls under the branch of human geog-
raphy. There are some physical geographers who only study Earth’s characteris-
tics and there are some human geographers who only study human-related topics.
In many cases, however, there is crossover between these two branches because
humans are part of the planet’s ecosystem. They impact Earth’s ecosystem and in
turn are impacted by Earth’s natural processes.
The study of geography itself has existed for more than 2,000 years and evolved
from the philosophical tradition of the ancient Greeks. Strabo, a Greek geographer
and historian who lived between 64 BCE and 25 CE, said of the discipline:
If the scientific investigation of any subject be the proper avocation of the philoso-
pher, Geography, the science of which we propose to treat, is certainly entitled to a
high place; and this is evident from many considerations. They who first ventured to
handle the matter were distinguished men. Homer, Anaximander the Milesian, and
Hecatæus . . ., all of them philosophers. . . . In addition to its vast importance in
regard to social life, and the art of government, Geography unfolds to us the celes-
tial phenomena, acquaints us with the occupants of the land and ocean, and the
vegetation, fruits, and peculiarities of the various quarters of the earth, a knowledge
of which marks him who cultivates it as a man earnest in the great problem of life
and happiness. (Strabo 1903)