This course delves into a dozen of the less well known episodes in history. Explore these lessons to add depth to your knowledge of World history. Each lesson provides a detailed explanation of the topic. Many also include videos and podcasts to further expand your knowledge. Once you have completed the course you can test yourself with our history quizzes.
These topics range from across the globe and time periods.
1. THE BANTU MIGRATION
The Bantu speaking people, who were agriculturalists who used iron tools, occupied much of Southern Africa, displacing many of the previous inhabitants.
2. THE GUPTA EMPIRE
Initially a period of territorial expansion through war, the Gupta Empire began a period of peace and prosperity marked by advancements in science, technology, engineering, art, dialectics, literature, logic, mathematics, astronomy, religion, and philosophy across India.
3. KINGDOM OF AKSUM
The Aksumite Empire at its height extended across most of present-day Eritrea, northern Ethiopia, western Yemen, southern Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. The capital city of the empire was Aksum, now in northern Ethiopia.
4. GREAT ZIMBABWE
Great Zimbabwe was a centre for trading, with a trade network extending as far as China.
5. EDO PERIOD TO MEIJI RESTORATION IN JAPAN
The transition from isolationist foreign policies to the rapid industrialization resulted from a carefully engineered transfer of Western technology, modernization trends, and education led by the government in partnership with the private sector.
6. ANCIENT AFRICA
An examination of several of the cultures in Africa from 600 BCE onwards.
7. THE SHANG DYNASTY
The Shang Dynasty existed in the Yellow River Valley during the second millennium BCE. It built huge cities, monopolized bronze, and developed writing, until it was overthrown by the Zhou.
8. THE INDUS RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS
The Indus Valley Civilization (also known as the Harappan Civilization) was a Bronze Age society extending from modern northeast Afghanistan to Pakistan and northwest India.
9. THE ETRUSCANS
The Etruscans were a Mediterranean civilization during the 6th to 3rd century BCE, from whom the Romans derived a great deal of cultural influence.
10. THE YUAN DYNASTY
The Yuan dynasty was founded by Kublai Khan, leader of a major Mongolian clan who invaded China but adopted many Chinese customs and practices.
11. WEST AFRICAN EMPIRES
The empires that flourished in West Africa from 100 BCE to the late early modern era.
12. THE MODERNISATION OF RUSSIA
Peter the Great implemented sweeping reforms aimed at modernizing Russia. Heavily influenced by his advisers from Western Europe, he reorganized the Russian army along modern lines and dreamed of making Russia a maritime power.