A SHORT
HISTORY OF THE WORLD

By H. G. WELLS

New York
THE MACMILLAN & COMPANY
1922

Copyright 1922

CONTENTS

CHAPTER Page
[A SHORT HISTORY OF THE WORLD]
I. [THE WORLD IN SPACE] 1
II. [THE WORLD IN TIME] 5
III. [THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE] 11
IV. [THE AGE OF FISHES] 16
V. [THE AGE OF THE COAL SWAMPS] 21
VI. [THE AGE OF REPTILES] 26
VII. [THE FIRST BIRDS AND THE FIRST MAMMALS] 31
VIII. [THE AGE OF MAMMALS] 37
IX. [MONKEYS, APES AND SUB-MEN] 43
X. [THE NEANDERTHALER AND THE RHODESIAN MAN] 48
XI. [THE FIRST TRUE MEN] 53
XII. [PRIMITIVE THOUGHT] 60
XIII. [THE BEGINNINGS OF CULTIVATION] 65
XIV. [PRIMITIVE NEOLITHIC CIVILIZATIONS] 71
XV. [SUMERIA, EARLY EGYPT AND WRITING] 77
XVI. [PRIMITIVE NOMADIC PEOPLES] 84
XVII. [THE FIRST SEA-GOING PEOPLES] 91
XVIII. [EGYPT, BABYLON AND ASSYRIA] 96
XIX. [THE PRIMITIVE ARYANS] 104
XX. [THE LAST BABYLONIAN EMPIRE AND THE EMPIRE OF DARIUS I] 109
XXI. [THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE JEWS] 115
XXII. [PRIESTS AND PROPHETS IN JUDEA] 122
XXIII. [THE GREEKS] 127
XXIV. [THE WARS OF THE GREEKS AND PERSIANS] 134
XXV. [THE SPLENDOUR OF GREECE] 139
XXVI. [THE EMPIRE OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT] 145
XXVII. [THE MUSEUM AND LIBRARY AT ALEXANDRIA] 150
XXVIII. [THE LIFE OF GAUTAMA BUDDHA] 156
XXIX. [KING ASOKA] 163
XXX. [CONFUCIUS AND LAO TSE] 167
XXXI. [ROME COMES INTO HISTORY] 174
XXXII. [ROME AND CARTHAGE] 180
XXXIII. [THE GROWTH OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE] 185
XXXIV. [BETWEEN ROME AND CHINA] 196
XXXV. [THE COMMON MAN’S LIFE UNDER THE EARLY ROMAN EMPIRE] 201
XXXVI. [RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENTS UNDER THE ROMAN EMPIRE] 208
XXXVII. [THE TEACHING OF JESUS] 214
XXXVIII. [THE DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINAL CHRISTIANITY] 222
XXXIX. [THE BARBARIANS BREAK THE EMPIRE INTO EAST AND WEST] 227
XL. [THE HUNS AND THE END OF THE WESTERN EMPIRE] 233
XLI. [THE BYZANTINE AND SASSANID EMPIRES] 238
XLII. [THE DYNASTIES OF SUY AND TANG IN CHINA] 245
XLIII. [MUHAMMAD AND ISLAM] 248
XLIV. [THE GREAT DAYS OF THE ARABS] 253
XLV. [THE DEVELOPMENT OF LATIN CHRISTENDOM] 258
XLVI. [THE CRUSADES AND THE AGE OF PAPAL DOMINION] 267
XLVII. [RECALCITRANT PRINCES AND THE GREAT SCHISM] 277
XLVIII. [THE MONGOL CONQUESTS] 287
XLIX. [THE INTELLECTUAL REVIVAL OF THE EUROPEANS] 294
L. [THE REFORMATION OF THE LATIN CHURCH] 304
LI. [THE EMPEROR CHARLES V] 309
LII. [THE AGE OF POLITICAL EXPERIMENTS; OF GRAND MONARCHY AND PARLIAMENTS AND REPUBLICANISM IN EUROPE] 318
LIII. [THE NEW EMPIRES OF THE EUROPEANS IN ASIA AND OVERSEAS] 329
LIV. [THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE] 335
LV. [THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THE RESTORATION OF MONARCHY IN FRANCE] 341
LVI. [THE UNEASY PEACE IN EUROPE THAT FOLLOWED THE FALL OF NAPOLEON] 349
LVII. [THE DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIAL KNOWLEDGE] 355
LVIII. [THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION] 365
LIX. [THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN POLITICAL AND SOCIAL IDEAS] 370
LX. [THE EXPANSION OF THE UNITED STATES] 382
LXI. [THE RISE OF GERMANY TO PREDOMINANCE IN EUROPE] 390
LXII. [THE NEW OVERSEAS EMPIRES OF THE STEAMSHIP AND RAILWAY] 393
LXIII. [EUROPEAN AGGRESSION IN ASIA, AND THE RISE OF JAPAN] 399
LXIV. [THE BRITISH EMPIRE IN 1914] 405
LXV. [THE AGE OF ARMAMENT IN EUROPE, AND THE GREAT WAR OF 1914-18] 409
LXVI. [THE REVOLUTION AND FAMINE IN RUSSIA] 415
LXVII. [THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE WORLD] 421
[CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE] 429
[INDEX] 439

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Page
[Luminous Spiral Clouds of Matter]
2
[Nebula seen Edge-on]
3
[The Great Spiral Nebula]
6
[A Dark Nebula]
7
[Another Spiral Nebula]
8
[Landscape before Life]
9
[Marine Life in the Cambrian Period]
12
[Fossil Trilobite]
13
[Early Palæozoic Fossils of various Species of Lingula]
14
[Fossilized Footprints of a Labyrinthodont, Cheirotherium]
15
[Pterichthys Milleri]
17
[Fossil of Cladoselache]
18
[Sharks and Ganoids of the Devonian Period]
19
[A Carboniferous Swamp]
22
[Skull of a Labyrinthodont, Capitosaurus]
23
[Skeleton of a Labyrinthodont: The Eryops]
24
[A Fossil Ichthyosaurus]
27
[A Pterodactyl]
28
[The Diplodocus]
29
[Fossil of Archeopteryx]
32
[Hesperornis in its Native Seas]
33
[The Ki-wi]
34
[Slab of Marl Rich in Cainozoic Fossils]
35
[Titanotherium Robustum]
38
[Skeleton of Giraffe-camel]
40
[Skeleton of Early Horse]
40
[Comparative Sizes of Brains of Rhinoceros and Dinoceras]
41
[A Mammoth]
44
[Flint Implements from Piltdown Region]
45
[A Pithecanthropean Man]
46
[The Heidelberg Man]
46
[The Piltdown Skull]
47
[A Neanderthaler]
49
[Europe and Western Asia 50,000 years ago]
Map 50
[Comparison of Modern Skull and Rhodesian Skull]
51
[Altamira Cave Paintings]
54
[Later Palæolithic Carvings]
55
[Bust of Cro-magnon Man]
57
[Later Palæolithic Art]
58
[Relics of the Stone Age]
62
[Gray’s Inn Lane Flint Implement]
63
[Somaliland Flint Implement]
63
[Neolithic Flint Implement]
67
[Australian Spearheads]
68
[Neolithic Pottery]
69
[Relationship of Human Races]
Map 72
[A Maya Stele]
73
[European Neolithic Warrior]
75
[Babylonian Brick]
78
[Egyptian Cylinder Seals of First Dynasty]
79
[The Sakhara Pyramids]
80
[The Pyramid of Cheops: Scene from Summit]
81
[The Temple of Hathor]
82
[Pottery and Implements of the Lake Dwellers]
85
[A Lake Village]
86
[Flint Knives of 4500 B.C. ]
87
[Egyptian Wall Paintings of Nomads]
87
[Egyptian Peasants Going to Work]
88
[Stele of Naram Sin]
89
[The Treasure House at Mycenæ]
93
[The Palace at Cnossos]
95
[Temple at Abu Simbel]
97
[Avenue of Sphinxes at Karnak]
98
[The Hypostyle Hall at Karnak]
99
[Frieze of Slaves]
101
[The Temple of Horus, Edfu]
103
[Archaic Amphora]
105
[The Mound of Nippur]
107
[Median and Chaldean Empires]
Map 110
[The Empire of Darius]
Map 111
[A Persian Monarch]
112
[The Ruins of Persepolis]
113
[The Great Porch of Xerxes]
113
[The Land of the Hebrews]
Map 117
[Nebuchadnezzar’s Mound at Babylon]
118
[The Ishtar Gateway, Babylon]
120
[Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser II]
124
[Captive Princes making Obeisance]
125
[Statue of Meleager]
128
[Ruins of Temple of Zeus]
130
[The Temple of Neptune, Pæstum]
132
[Greek Ships on Ancient Pottery]
135
[The Temple of Corinth]
137
[The Temple of Neptune at Cape Sunium]
138
[Frieze of the Parthenon, Athens]
140
[The Acropolis, Athens]
141
[Theatre at Epidauros, Greece]
141
[The Caryatides of the Erechtheum]
142
[Athene of the Parthenon]
143
[Alexander the Great]
146
[Alexander’s Victory at Issus]
147
[The Apollo Belvedere]
148
[Aristotle]
152
[Statuette of Maitreya]
153
[The Death of Buddha]
154
[Tibetan Buddha]
158
[A Burmese Buddha]
159
[The Dhamêkh Tower, Sarnath]
160
[A Chinese Buddhist Apostle]
164
[The Court of Asoka]
165
[Asoka Panel from Bharhut]
165
[The Pillar of Lions (Asokan) ]
166
[Confucius]
169
[The Great Wall of China]
171
[Early Chinese Bronze Bell]
172
[The Dying Gaul]
175
[Ancient Roman Cisterns at Carthage]
177
[Hannibal]
181
[Roman Empire and its Alliances, 150 B.C.]
Map 183
[The Forum, Rome]
188
[Ruined Coliseum in Tunis]
189
[Roman Arch at Ctesiphon]
190
[The Column of Trajan, Rome]
193
[Glazed Jar of Han Dynasty]
197
[Vase of Han Dynasty]
198
[Chinese Vessel in Bronze]
199
[A Gladiator (contemporary representation)]
202
[A Street in Pompeii]
204
[The Coliseum, Rome]
206
[Interior of Coliseum]
206
[Mithras Sacrificing a Bull]
210
[Isis and Horus]
211
[Bust of Emperor Commodus]
212
[Early Portrait of Jesus Christ]
216
[Road from Nazareth to Tiberias]
217
[David’s Tower and Wall of Jerusalem]
218
[A Street in Jerusalem]
219
[The Peter and Paul Mosaic at Rome]
223
[Baptism of Christ (Ivory Panel) ]
225
[Roman Empire and the Barbarians]
Map 228
[Constantine’s Pillar, Constantinople]
229
[The Obelisk of Theodosius, Constantinople]
231
[Head of Barbarian Chief]
235
[The Church of S. Sophia, Constantinople]
239
[Roof-work in S. Sophia]
240
[Justinian and his Court]
241
[The Rock-hewn Temple at Petra]
242
[Chinese Earthenware of Tang Dynasty]
246
[At Prayer in the Desert]
250
[Looking Across the Sea of Sand]
251
[Growth of Moslem Power]
Map 254
[The Moslem Empire]
Map 254
[The Mosque of Omar, Jerusalem]
255
[Cairo Mosques]
256
[Frankish Dominions of Martel]
Map 260
[Statue of Charlemagne]
262
[Europe at Death of Charlemagne]
Map 264
[Crusader Tombs, Exeter Cathedral]
268
[View of Cairo]
269
[The Horses of S. Mark, Venice]
271
[Courtyard in the Alhambra]
273
[Milan Cathedral (showing spires) ]
278
[A Typical Crusader]
280
[Burgundian Nobility (Statuettes) ]
283
[Burgundian Nobility (Statuettes) ]
284
[The Empire of Jengis Khan]
Map 288
[Ottoman Empire before 1453]
Map 289
[Tartar Horsemen]
291
[Ottoman Empire, 1566]
Map 292
[An Early Printing Press]
296
[Ancient Bronze from Benin]
299
[Negro Bronze-work]
300
[Early Sailing Ship (Italian Engraving) ]
301
[Portrait of Martin Luther]
305
[The Church Triumphant (Italian Majolica work, 1543) ]
307
[Charles V (the Titian Portrait) ]
311
[S. Peter’s, Rome: the High Altar]
315
[Cromwell Dissolves the Long Parliament]
321
[The Court at Versailles]
323
[Sack of a Village, French Revolution]
325
[Central Europe after Peace of Westphalia, 1648]
Map 326
[European Territory in America, 1750]
Map 330
[Europeans Tiger Hunting in India]
331
[Fall of Tippoo Sultan]
332
[George Washington]
337
[The Battle of Bunker Hill]
338
[The U.S.A., 1790]
339
[The Trial of Louis XVI]
344
[Execution of Marie Antoinette]
346
[Portrait of Napoleon]
352
[Europe after the Congress of Vienna]
Map 353
[Early Rolling Stock, Liverpool and Manchester Railway]
356
[Passenger Train in 1833]
356
[The Steamboat Clermont]
357
[Eighteenth Century Spinning Wheel]
361
[Arkwright’s Spinning Jenny]
361
[An Early Weaving Machine]
363
[An Incident of the Slave Trade]
367
[Early Factory, in Colebrookdale]
368
[Carl Marx]
372
[Electric Conveyor, in Coal Mine]
376
[Constructional Detail, Forth Bridge]
378
[American River Steamer]
385
[Abraham Lincoln]
387
[Europe, 1848-71]
Map 391
[Victoria Falls, Zambesi]
395
[The British Empire, 1815]
Map 397
[Japanese Soldier, Eighteenth Century]
401
[A Street in Tokio]
403
[Overseas Empires of Europe, 1914]
Map 406
[Gibraltar]
407
[Street in Hong Kong]
408
[British Tank in Battle]
410
[The Ruins of Ypres]
411
[Modern War: War Entanglements]
412
[A View in Petersburg under Bolshevik Rule]
418
[Passenger Aeroplane in Flight]
423
[A Peaceful Garden in England]
426