Global History

Global History

Five World War I soldiers in uniform stand and sit near sandbags in a trench, with a sign reading "Surrey Lane" visible in the background—evoking camaraderie amid the Ring of Fire on the front lines.
Historians Alexandra Churchill and Nicolai Eberholst reexamine the pivotal conflict from a grassroots perspective.
A group of people on a boat watch as a patrol vessel approaches on calm, open water under a clear sky, reflecting ongoing migration statistics in the region.
Migration statistics should be regarded with wariness as they are difficult to analyze properly and easily manipulated for political gain.
A graphical representation of network connections superimposed on a dark map, highlighting major nodes with bright orange and yellow lines.
Digital analyses of Enlightenment-era letters are teaching us a thing or two about Locke, Voltaire, and others.
A group of men studying Japanese philosophy.
Traditionally, the long history of Japanese thought has not been viewed as “philosophy” — even by Japanese scholars. It’s time for a rethink.
An ancient map depicting the independence of the United States.
The global extent of the Revolutionary War surprises many Americans today — but it was crucial to independence.
a drawing of a man sitting on top of a chair.
Mansa Musa, perhaps history's richest man, claims he ascended the throne of Mali after his predecessor sailed west and never came back. Could he have made it to the New World?
a close up of a carving on a wall.
Glimpse into the ancient Maya empire through the writing of its own inhabitants.
a green map of china on a black background.
The story of China is the story of global economics.
Million Stories
The strange bronze artifact perplexed scholars for more than a century, including how it traveled so far from home.
Ancient bones reveal that domesticated felines were at home in Pre-Neolithic Poland around 8,000 years ago.
Roman Republic banquet
Studying the display of personal wealth across time can help us better understand the history of socioeconomic inequality.
Atlantic Ocean liner
For centuries, the only way to travel between the Old and New World was through ships like the RMS Lusitania. Experiences varied wildly depending on your income.
An interactive “globe of notability” shows the curious correspondences and the strange landscape of global fame.
Horses pranced around the western hemisphere until they went extinct in the late Holocene. They were reintroduced by European colonists — though where, when, and how has remained unclear.
Understanding the factors behind recent growth could help us better approach inequality.
Chinese Revolution
One particular revolution was so important, that at least one historian thinks the 20th century officially began in 1914 and ended in 1991.
A Santa Claus Christmas tree decoration drinking cola.
The German-American cartoonist introduced the idea that Santa Claus traveled with a sleigh and reindeer.