Featured Definition
Definition
Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson (also spelt Godwineson) reigned briefly as King Harold II of England from January to October 1066 CE, the momentous year which witnessed...
Featured Image
Image
Map of Early Human Migrations
This map illustrates the early global migrations of Homo sapiens—our species’ remarkable journey from Africa to every inhabitable continent. Tracing...
Free for the World, Supported by You
World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. Please support free history education for millions of learners worldwide for only $5 per month by becoming a member. Thank you!
World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. Please support free history education for millions of learners worldwide for only $5 per month by becoming a member. Thank you!
Become a Member Donate
Article
Scribes in Ancient Mesopotamia - The Beginning of History
Scribes in ancient Mesopotamia were highly educated individuals trained in writing and reading on diverse subjects. Initially, their purpose was to...
Article
Battle of Passchendaele - Haig's Folly in the Mud of Flanders
The Battle of Passchendaele (October-November 1917), the final stage of the Third Battle of Ypres, took place in Flanders, Belgium, during the First...
Article
The Trial of Anne Hutchinson - Silencing Dissent in Colonial America
Anne Hutchinson (1591-1643) was a religious dissident who was brought to trial by John Winthrop (1588-1649) and the other magistrates of the Massachusetts...
Definition
Marcus Junius Brutus - Rome's Most Notorious Traitor
Marcus Junius Brutus (85 BCE to 42 BCE) was a Roman senator most famous for his role in the assassination of Julius Caesar on the Ides of March (15...
Article
Trade in Ancient Mesopotamia - How Commerce Encouraged Civilization
Local trade in ancient Mesopotamia began in the Ubaid period (circa 6500-4000 BCE), had developed into long-distance trade by the Uruk period (circa...
Article
First Battle of the Marne - How Paris was Saved in World War I
The First Battle of the Marne, fought between 6 and 10 September 1914, was a major and successful Allied counterattack against the German invasion of...
Article
Mesopotamian Inventions - Creating the Future
Mesopotamian inventions include many items taken for granted today, most of which were created during the Early Dynastic period (circa 2900-2350/2334...
Definition
Anne Hutchinson - Spiritual Visionary and Champion of Faith
Anne Hutchinson (1591-1643) was a religious reformer, Puritan dissident, midwife, and alleged prophetess whose beliefs and influence brought her into...
Definition
Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - The Birth of Art and Architecture in the Ancient World
Ancient Mesopotamian art and architectural works are among the oldest in the world, dating back over 7,000 years. The works first appear in northern...
Article
Battle of the Frontiers - The Chaotic First Two Weeks of World War I
The Battle of the Frontiers of WWI (1914-18), fought between 14 and 25 August, involved a flurry of encounters between German and French, Belgian, and...
Definition
Livonian Rhymed Chronicle - An Account of the Livonian Crusade
The Livonian Rhymed Chronicle (Livländische Reimchronik) is an anonymous account of the Livonian Crusade written in Middle High German, covering the...
Collection
Clothing Through History - Fashion Across Three Millennia
In this collection of resources, we take a look at clothing and fashion through the centuries and see what men, women, and children wore across continents...
Definition
Sumer - The Cradle of Civilization
Sumer was the southernmost region of ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day southern Iraq and parts of Kuwait), which has long been considered the cradle of...
Article
Festivals in Ancient Mesopotamia - Courting the Goodwill of the Gods
Festivals in ancient Mesopotamia honored the patron deity of a city-state or the primary god of the city that controlled a region or empire. The earliest...
Definition
The Crisis of the Third Century - A Pivotal Era of Ancient Rome
The Crisis of the Third Century (also known as the Imperial Crisis, 235-284) was the period in the history of the Roman Empire during which it splintered...
Definition
Mesopotamian Religion - Daily Life as a Form of Worship
Mesopotamian religion was central to the people's lives. Humans were created as co-laborers with their gods to hold off the forces of chaos and to keep...
