A History of World Societies,combined

In 48 lectures, award-winning Professor Robert Bucholz of Loyola University of Chicago teaches not only the history of Western civilization but also the meaning of civilization itself. Offering profound rewards to everyone, this course is:a grand narrative of the past five centuries; a coherent context for the period's events and trends; and an analysis of what these five centuries have bequeathed to us.

A Buddhist monk searches for mystical texts. French lords and ladies tell stories to pass the time. African warriors fight against European conquerors. These and other fascinating stories stem from some of the world's greatest literary masterpieces. Yet as different as they are, each reflects a common impulse: our need to tell stories. Whether around the campfire, between the covers of a great book, or in the theater, this urge to express life's meaning is a human constant.

Starting with the Renaissance, the culture of the West exploded. Over the next 600 years, rapid innovations in philosophy, technology, economics, military affairs, and politics allowed what once had been a cultural backwater left by the collapse of the Roman Empire to dominate the world.