Start here · Essential guide
Turning Points in World History
A broad look at developments that reshaped societies worldwide, from farming and writing to industry and science, and how to think about what counts as a turning point.
Arts, History and Culture
Turning Points in History
Major eras and developments that changed how people live.
How the Printing Press Changed Knowledge
How movable type, developed in Europe in the mid-1400s, made books cheaper and more common, and how that helped ideas, religion and science spread.
How Writing Began
How accounting tokens and clay tablets in ancient Mesopotamia led to full writing, and how scripts also arose in Egypt, China and the Americas.
The Age of Exploration
A summary of the long sea voyages of the 1400s to 1600s, the exchange of crops and goods they set off, and the harm done to Indigenous and enslaved peoples.
The Agricultural Revolution
How the slow shift from foraging to farming around 10,000 years ago changed where people lived, what they ate and how societies were organized.
The Industrial Revolution
How machines, steam power and factories reshaped work, cities and daily life, beginning in Britain in the late 1700s, with both gains and hardships.
The Renaissance: A Rebirth of Ideas
How art, science and learning were revived in Europe from roughly the 1300s to the 1600s, starting in Italy, and why historians debate the term itself.
The Roman Empire: Rise, Reach and Legacy
How Rome grew from a city-state into a Mediterranean empire, how it was governed, and what it left behind in law, language, roads and engineering.
The Scientific Revolution
How observation, measurement and experiment changed European views of nature from the 1500s to the late 1600s, from Copernicus to Newton.
The Silk Road and Ancient Trade Networks
How overland and sea routes linked China, Central Asia, India, the Middle East and Europe, carrying silk, spices, religions, technologies and diseases.
Related topics
More in arts, history and culture
Ancient Worlds and Influence Ancient societies, their monuments and the people and ideas that shaped history. Learning Musical Instruments Beginner guides to starting piano, guitar, drums, violin and trumpet. Ethics and Moral Debates Big ethical questions in science, life and society. Museums Around the World Museum buildings, collections and how to enjoy a visit. Cathedrals, Temples and Libraries Historic buildings of worship and learning. Art, Music and Storytelling How people create and appreciate art, sound and stories.