From the smallest of the atoms to the grandest of galaxies, every thing in the universe has its history. The known history of civilized peoples on this planet is no different, and yet each of us can touch no more than the smallest part of it. It is through books such as this one, which cover a comprehensive span of our history, that we are able to acquaint ourselves with the great, and some not so great, civilizations that preceded our own. From the early stone age, the great civilizations of Babylonia and Sumeria, the era of pyramid building, and the Hebrew and Persian empires, to the better-known republics of the Greek and Romans; these advanced cultures helped to provide a basic understanding of who we are as a species.

The varied ways in which these previous cultures have influenced successive descents is nearly unlimited. The earliest of civilized man brought us an understanding of fire and manufactured tools. From these early beginnings, the more advanced cultures, which begin our recorded history, have contributed greatly to our society. For example, the first recorded civilization on earth, the Sumerians, provided the basis for our modern-day writing, agriculture, astronomy, mathematics, calendar, numeral system, time reckoning, educational institutions, our code of laws, construction trades, metallurgy, art, and religion. They were they masters of invention, science, industry, and of exploration, which is important, because all that we have, and are, come from these sources.

Our predecessors have helped man become a master of nature and to extend his physical abilities beyond the norm. We can only hope that the achievements and advancement of knowledge will be duly recorded for future generations and for the future of mankind. As a professor of Oriental History and Egyptology at the University of Chicago in the 1920s, Professor James Henry Breasted provides a qualified historical perspective and a sound account of the achievements of Western civilization. This book was skillfully written from the author’s vast wisdom and scholarship of the nations of the world. In the past, the teaching of history has so often lacked both the scope and comprehensiveness that this small volume offers. For this reason, this book will make a fine addition to any library on ancient history. ISBN 1-59016-083-5 o 320 pages o 6 x 9 o tradepaper o illustrated.