World History through Case Studies: Historical Skills in Practice

Description

This innovative textbook demystifies the subject of world history through a diverse range of case studies. Each chapter looks at an event, person, or place commonly included in comprehensive textbooks, from prehistory to the present and from across the globe – from the Kennewick Man to gladiators and modern-day soccer and globalization – and digs deeper, examining why historians disagree on the subject and why their debates remain relevant today. By taking the approach of ‘unwrapping the textbook,’ David Eaton reveals how historians think, making it clear that the past is not nearly as tidy as most textbooks suggest. Provocative questions like whether ancient Greece was shaped by contact with Egypt provide an entry point into how history professors may sharply disagree on even basic narratives, and how historical interpretations can be influenced by contemporary concerns. By illuminating these historiographical debates, and linking them to key skills required by historians, World History through Case Studies shows how the study of history is relevant to a new generation of students and teachers. Cover Contents List of Figures Acknowledgments Introduction 1 Urge Overkill 2 Horsing Around 3 #AncientEgyptMatters 4 Stretching the Past 5 Whose Key to China? 6 Making Waves 7 Bread and Circuses 8 Veiled Meanings 9 Going Berserk 10 This Island Earth 11 Supreme Sacrifice 12 Orunmila Saves 13 Heavy Metals 14 We’ll Always Have Paris 15 Germ Warfare 16 Tokyo Drift 17 Shadows of the Past 18 Open Wounds 19 Global Goals 20 Poor Numbers Notes Index