World History in Documents: A Comparative Reader

At a time when the teaching of world history is undergoing profound change, Peter N. Stearns has collected a remarkably diverse and original set of documents which anticipate new directions in the field.

World History in Documents combines original sources on key world history topics, covering a sweeping range of periods and societies, with the challenge of comparative analysis. With its emphasis on the utility of primary materials, the book presents historical documents from the major regions of the world and enables the reader to deal recurrently with topics from all continents.

From Hammurabi to Hitler, the Peloponnesian War to Peronism, the Magna Carta to Octavia Paz's Mexico, Stearns covers the scope of human activity, encompassing politics, culture, gender, labor, migration, and social structure. Substantial introductions set the stage for the five major time periods as well as the subject of each chapter. Questions guide student reading and can form the basis for classroom discussion. Throughout, comparative topics are highlighted, enabling students to compare and contrast different societies around a common topic.