Prologue | The Minimum Historical Knowledge for a Better Life

PART 01 The Birth of Human Civilization: Ancient History

Aztec Civilization | Why an Ancient Civilization Shrouded in Secrets Destroyed Overnight
Egyptian Civilization | A History of Wars for the Fertile Lands of the Nile
Yellow River Civilization | China's History of Achieving World Hegemony

PART 02 The Decisive Moment That Changed History: War History

World War I | The first large-scale war of the 20th century, born of imperialist greed
World War II | A Tragic War Caused by One Man's Madness
The Pacific War | Japan's Ambition Sparked a Showdown with the United States
Vietnam War | Why Did the United States Lose to a New Southeast Asian Nation?
Middle East War | When will the blood-soaked land of the gods find peace?

PART 03: The Rise and Fall of Great Empires, a Comprehensive History of the Most Powerful Nation

The Ottoman Empire | The Birth of an Empire Connecting Eastern and Western Civilizations
Spain | The Battle for Hegemony Surrounding the Iberian Peninsula, the Border Between Europe and Islam
Britain | How Britain, the Unknown Island, Became the Land Where the Sun Never Sets
Russia and the East Slavs | Why does Russia go to war every ten years?
The United States | How It Became a Superpower from a British Colony

PART 04 The World's Hidden Tragedy: A History of Cruelty

The Haitian Revolution | The Birth of the World's First Black Republic, the Origin of Zombies
The Opium Wars | The Fall of China, a Frog in a Well that Looked Down on the West
Cambodia's Killing Fields: A Massacre Worse Than the Holocaust, Killing a Quarter of the Entire Country
Kowloon Walled City, Hong Kong | The Last Lawless Zone of the 20th Century: What Happened in the Massive Slums
Okinawa Ryukyu Kingdom | In Search of a Lost Ancient Nation

References

★★★Highly recommended by bestselling author Choi Tae-seong!
“We’ve carefully selected only the world history you absolutely must know today!”

√ What caused the fall of the colonial empire, Spain?
√ Why does Russia keep waging war?
√ What event led to the rise of the United States from a nation of immigrants to a superpower?

The minimum amount of historical knowledge you need to know is covered in this one book!

Why do we need to know history? From the hegemony struggle between the United States and China to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the daily news makes it all the more crucial to understand the ever-changing global situation.
However, without any background knowledge of history, it is not easy to immediately grasp the context of why these events occurred.

"Minimum World History for Today's Adults" provides a concise introduction to world history based on the core keywords of "civilization, war, religion, trade, and geography" to help understand the complex modern era.
Even without prior historical background knowledge, reading about the rise and fall of world history centered around five keywords will allow you to easily and quickly acquire world history knowledge, and will also provide insight into the complex international situation.

★The much-anticipated historical story is finally published!
The most notable historical storyteller of our time tells the story
World history read through five keywords: civilization, war, religion, trade, and geography!

Another reason why world history can be difficult is because many events are interconnected like a chain of events, making it difficult to grasp the whole picture at once.
This book is written by author Im So-mi, who has earned the nickname "Scheherazade of History," and as you read it, you will feel as if you are watching an interesting drama. Even complex events will immediately make sense in your head.
By reviewing a vast amount of data, including dozens of books and papers, we have selected crucial scenes in world history that must be known in modern times, while conducting accurate verification.
You'll be immersed in this captivating story that spans from ancient times to the present day, and before you know it, you'll have turned the last page.

In addition, we have added abundant illustrations to the text to aid understanding, and inserted a chronology at the end of each chapter to help organize the flow of events at a glance.
Lastly, the accuracy and reliability of historical facts were enhanced through the supervision of Professor Kim Bong-joong of the Department of History at Chonnam National University, who is familiar to the public through tvN's "Naked World History."

Give wings to your culture
Decisive scenes in world history!

As the title, "Minimum World History for Today's Adults," suggests, it condenses the vast history of 6,000 years and contains only the essential key points.
It presents a comprehensive history of the world's great powers, from the ancient history that contains the beginnings of each civilization to the major wars that still have an impact today, including World War I and II, and the history of the great powers that dominated the world, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Ottoman Empire.
Lastly, this book covers all the tragedies of history that you may not have known about but must not forget. By reading just this one book, you will have a perfect foundation in world history.

Chapter 1 begins with the 'ancient history' of the amazing civilizations that were created.
We explore China's grand history through the Egyptian civilization, which flourished under the blessings of the Nile River, the Aztec civilization, the Land of the Sun, considered one of the major civilizations of the American continent, and the Yellow River civilization, an ancient civilization of the East that originated from the Yellow River.

Chapter 2 examines the 'major wars' that brought about tectonic shifts in world history.
You can clearly organize the major wars that still have a major impact on the present day, including World War I and II, the Pacific War, the Middle East War, and even the Vietnam War, which is closely related to us.

Chapter 3 concisely summarizes the history of the great powers that achieved global hegemony, allowing readers to see at a glance the turbulent rise and fall of these great powers, how they achieved global hegemony.
It covers the history of the Ottoman Empire, which represented Islamic civilization since the Middle Ages and dominated even Europe, England and Spain, which were called the countries on which the sun never sets, and even the United States and Russia, which have recently been dominating the international community.


Chapter 4 introduces a 'tragic moment in history' that we must not forget.
From the Republic of Haiti, the first black republic, to the Opium Wars between China and Britain in the 19th century, and the Cambodian Killing Fields, considered one of the worst events of the 20th century, you can further expand your knowledge and culture by learning about the hidden stories of relatively little-known world history.

From mysterious ancient civilizations to exciting war history.
It's more fun than a drama!

In an age where the world is more interconnected and influencing each other than ever before, world history has become essential knowledge.
By learning about world history—how the past and present, how we and the world interact and are connected—and how we have responded to unpredictable crises and changes, we gain a new perspective that allows us to prepare for the future.
Through this book, you will not only quickly and easily understand the context of world history, but also gain a valuable compass for navigating life through world history.