Ross Edmunds Dunn is Professor Emeritus of History at San Diego State University, USA, where he taught African, Islamic, and world history. Urmi Engineer Willoughby is an Associate Professor of History at Pitzer College, USA, where she teaches courses on the intersection of health and ecology in North America and the world.

“Panorama: A World History is a timely work that incorporates multiple disciplines in its examination of human interconnectedness and exchange. It is a vital examination of the ties that have bound humanity together and will be of great use in the classroom and beyond.”

• List of MapsTour of the bookOnline resourcesAbout the AuthorsAn Interview with the Authors AcknowledgementsPART 1 - THE GREAT WORLD CONVERGENCE 1450–17501. Oceans Crossed, Worlds Connected 1450–1550On the Eve of the Great World Convergence-Changes in the Afroeurasian Trade Network-Europeans Looking East-The Eastern Atlantic Rim-States in the Americas The Birth of the Atlantic World-Changing Maritime Technology-Europeans and Tropical Africans: Early Encounters-Crossing and Connecting OceansAmerican Catastrophes-The Columbian Exchange and Pandemic Disease -The End of the Aztec Empire -Assault on the Inca Empire -Building the Spanish Empire -The Portuguese Claim to BrazilNew Power Relations in the Southern Seas-To Capture the Spice Trade-The Transpacific LinkIndividuals Matter: Doña Marina: Translator, Diplomat, and SlaveWeighing the Evidence: Martin Behaim’s Fifteenth-Century GlobeGlobal and Comparative Themes: Consequences of the Great World Convergence2. Afroeurasia and Its Powerful States 1500–1600States on the Rise in the Sixteenth Century-The Ottoman Empire’s Dramatic Growth-The Safavid Empire of Persia-Mughal Power in South Asia -Russia: From Principality to Empire-The Tokugawa in Japan-Strong Monarchies in Southeast Asia-The European States-The Songhay EmpireFirearms and State Power-New and Deadly Armies-The Military Revolution-The Limits of Central PowerTrends in Religion, Language, and Culture-Intellectual and Moral Ferment in China-Tension between Sunni and Shi’a Muslims-Religious Crisis in Europe-Vernacular and Prestigious LanguagesIndividuals Matter: Doña Gracia Mendes Nasi: A Sixteenth-Century BusinesswomanWeighing the Evidence: A European Ambassador Compares ArmiesGlobal and Comparative Themes: The rise and fall of languages across time3. The Expanding Global Economy: Expectations and Inequalities 1550–1700Three Major Global Developments-The Worldwide Network Takes Shape-The Continuing Columbian Exchange-Climate Change in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth CenturiesAfroeurasia and the Expanding World Economy-Western Europe’s Economic Thrust-Centuries of Silver in East Asia-Asians and Europeans in the Southern SeasThe Atlantic Economy: Land, Capital, and Slave Labor-The Atlantic Economy and African Slavery-Change in Atlantic AfricaIndividuals Matter: Louis De Geer: A Capitalist Success StoryWeighing the Evidence: Servants and Slaves on a Barbados Sugar PlantationGlobal and Comparative Themes: How much power did Europeans exercise in the world in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries?4. The Changing Balance of Wealth and Power 1600–1750Empires and Big States-Chinese Prosperity and Imperialism-Russia from the Baltic to the Pacific-The Spanish Empire in America-Europe: The Aims and Limits of AbsolutismEncounters between Indigenous Peoples and European Settlers-European Settlers Abroad-Indians and Europeans in the North American Woodlands-Russians and Siberians-Europeans and Khoisan in South AfricaAlternative Visions of God, Nature, and the Universe-Scientific Advances-The Enlightenment: Rethinking Human Nature and Society-The Continuing Growth of Islam and ChristianityIndividuals Matter: Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita: Visionary Christian of the KongoWeighing the Evidence: The Journal of a Dutch Commander at the Cape of Good HopeGlobal and Comparative Themes: Types of colonial societiesPART 2 - THE MODERN WORLD TAKES SHAPE 1750–19145. Waves of Revolution 1720-1830World Economy and Politics, 1720–1763-A Commercializing World-Troubled Empires in Asia-Global Trade and the Eighteenth-Century “World War”Revolutions around the North Atlantic Rim-The Global Context of Popular Revolt-The War of Independence in British North America-The French Revolution-The Birth of Haiti-The Idea of Nationalism The Second Wave: Revolutions in Latin America-Colonial Society on the Eve of Rebellion-The Wars of Independence-Many Young StatesIndividuals Matter: José de San Martin: Liberator of the Southern AndesWeighing the Evidence: Toussaint Louverture Writes to the French DirectoryGlobal and Comparative Themes: Connected Revolutions6. Energy and Industrialization 1750–1850The Energy Revolution-The Fuel That Lies Beneath-The End of the Biological Old RegimeIndustry on a New Scale-Cotton and the Drift to Industrialization-Mines and Machines-Working in Factories-Was There Something Special about Britain?-Social and Environmental Consequences of Early IndustrializationIndustrialization and Global Exchange in the Early Nineteenth Century-The Energy Revolution Takes Hold-The Threads of Commerce-Free Trade and the New Doctrine of LiberalismIndividuals Matter: Ned Ludd: Legendary Foe of IndustryWeighing the Evidence: On Legalizing Opium in ChinaGlobal and Comparative Themes: The origins of the industrial revolution: what were the global circumstances?7. Coping with Change in the New Industrial Era 1830–1870Millions Migrating-Nineteenth-Century Slave Trade-The Outpouring from Europe-Indigenous Peoples and Settler Colonies-Migrations from Asia-Oceania ConnectedGroundswells of Political and Social Reform-Nationalism and the Power of the People-Varieties of Socialism-Movements for Women’s Rights-Movements for Political Reform and Unification in Europe-Modernizing Reforms in Muslim Lands-The Limits of Liberalism in Latin AmericaReligion and Reform-Global Trends and Religious Change-Christian Evangelism-Jewish Reform-Religious Reform and Revolution in the Muslim WorldGlobal Change and the Calamitous Wars of Mid-century-The Crimean War and the Industrialization of Violence-Paraguay: A War of Annihilation -The Taiping Rebellion in China-The Great Indian Rebellion-Civil War in the United StatesIndividuals Matter: Ram Mohan Roy: Hindu ReformerWeighing the Evidence: A Moroccan Diplomat in FranceGlobal and Comparative Themes: Comparing characteristics of modernity8. Capital, Technology, and the Changing Balance of Global Power 1860–1914The Spread of Steam-Powered Industry-Wealthy Britain-Industrial Hubs in Continental Europe and the United States-Smokestacks in Russia-The Meiji Restoration and Japanese Industry-Industrialization on Smaller Scales: Gains and DisappointmentsCapitalism’s Global Reach-The Worldwide Communication Grid-Feeding Industrial Societies-Rich Regions, Poor Regions-The Working Class and the Middle Class-Globalizing Business, Technology, and ScienceEuropean Imperialism and Popular Resistance-The Road to Colonialism in Africa and Southeast Asia-Why Did European Invasions Succeed?-Resistance Movements and Their Consequences-States That SurvivedIndividuals Matter: Chulalongkorn: Modernizing MonarchWeighing the Evidence: Contrasting Perspectives on War in East AfricaGlobal and Comparative Themes: Explaining imperial success in the late nineteenth centuryPART 3 - THE PROMISE AND THE PERILS OF ACCELERATING CHANGE 1890–2024 9. Innovation, Revolution, and Global Crisis 1890-1920Turn-of-the-Century Economic Growth, 1890-1914-Commerce and Gold-Urbanization and Migration -Scientific and Technological AdvancesGlobal Inequality and Its Consequences-Drought and Plague-Africa and Southeast Asia under New Colonial Rulers-Worker Protest and Nationalist Ferment in Europe-Five RevolutionsThe Great War, 1914-1918-Lighting the Fuse -A World at War-Total War-Russia: From War to Revolution-Peace and ConsequencesIndividuals Matter: Qiu Jin: Social ReformerWeighing the Evidence: Arab Independence That Was Not to BeGlobal and Comparative Themes: Was World War I really the first world war?10. Turbulent Decades 1918-1935Postwar Trends in Society and Culture-Population Trends-New Ways of Living in the Industrialized World-Scientific Challenges to the Knowable Universe-Modernity and ModernismClashing Political Ideologies-Democratic Hopes-The Soviet Union under Communist Party Rule-Nationalists and Communists in China-New Governments on the Political Right-Left and Right in Latin AmericaColonial Rule and Its Opponents in Africa and Asia-Economy and Society in the Colonial Empires-Ways of Ruling-Immigrants to Colonized Lands-Colonial Rule ContestedThe Great Depression and Its Consequences-The Steep Descent-The Continuing Authoritarian Trend Individuals Matter: Diego Rivera: Mexican ModernistWeighing the Evidence: Turkish Views on Dress and National IdentityGlobal and Comparative Themes: The meaning of modernism11. World War II and Its Aftermath 1933-1950Empire Building and Global Crisis-Empire of the Sun-The Nazi State-Italy’s Foreign Aggressions-Fascist Dictatorship in SpainWorld War II-The Years of Axis Victory, 1939–1942-The Years of Counteroffensive, 1942–1945-The Second Total War-The War Beyond the Theaters of War-The War and the Global EnvironmentIn the Wake of War, 1945–1950-Restoring Stability, Enforcing Justice-The Two New Empires-Challenges to Colonial Empires-Communist Victory in ChinaIndividuals Matter: Olga Lisikova: Soviet Combat PilotWeighing the Evidence: Propaganda for Wartime ConservationGlobal and Comparative Themes: Comparing the two world wars: similarities, differences, and connections12. The Global Boom and Its Contradictions 1945-1975Population and Economy: An Era of Spectacular Growth-Global Population at Its Crest-The Postwar Economic Boom-Economic Growth in Communist States-The Worldwide Lure of Industrialization-Cities, Suburbs, and Shantytowns-Postwar Consumer Society-The Biosphere in DistressThe Cold War Wears On-The Era of Mutually Assured Destruction -The Cold War around the worldFights for Freedom and Justice-Paths to Independence: Protest and Negotiation-Paths to Independence: Insurgency and Revolution-Struggles for Stability in Young States -The Turbulent Middle East-Vietnam between Civil War and Cold War -High Expectations and Social ProtestIndividuals Matter: Alexander Dubcek: Leader of the Prague SpringWeighing the Evidence: Frantz Fanon on the Shortcomings of the National BourgeoisieGlobal and Comparative Themes: The changing map of empires 13. Countercurrents of Global Change 1970 to 2008Countercurrents in the Global Economy-The 1970s: An Economic Turning Point-The Rise of Neoliberalism-Neoliberalism Around the World -Shifting Centers of Economic Power-The Electronic Revolution The Problem of Inequality-Poverty in a Capitalist World-Women in the World Economy-International MigrationThe Changing Political Order-Interstate Relations and the End of the Bipolar Order-United States Power Displayed-Israel and Palestine: The Interminable Conflict-The Role of International Organizations-The Global Democratizing Trend After 1970-War, Disorder, and Terror in an Era of Global Integration Facing the Anthropocene-Unintended Consequences-Environmentalist MovementsIndividuals Matter: Wangari Maathai: Environmental Activist and Nobel LaureateWeighing the Evidence: Changing Views of the Chinese EconomyGlobal and Comparative Themes: The meaning of globalization14. The World after the Great Recession 2008-2024Climate Change, Disease, and Environmental Degradation-The Perils of Global Warming-Climate Change and Natural Disasters-The Threat of Emerging Diseases -Pollution and Threats of Biodiversity-Pollution and plastics-Disappearing speciesThe Neoliberal World Economy in Question-The Great Recession-Popular Protest-The Long, Hesitant Recovery-Recession Aftermath: China, the United States, and the European Union-The COVID-19 Recession-The Problem of InequalityGlobal Politics-Challenges to Democracy-The Middle East and North Africa: Power Relations in Motion-Tense Relations: The United States, Russia, and ChinaGlobal Prospects for Social Justice-Social Justice for Indigenous Communities-Racial Justice and Police Violence-Social Justice for Women and Gender Minorities-Rights for LGBTQ+ CommunitiesIndividuals Matter: Winona LaDuke, Indigenous ActivistWeighing the Evidence: The Tahrir Square MomentGood Reading listIndexReferences