20 keywords and
Reading World History in 12 Patterns

This book clearly organizes world history using 20 keywords and 12 patterns.
The author pondered how to organize, memorize, and systematize information in order to naturally internalize vast knowledge, and as a result, he realized that ① 'understanding the definitions of historical terms' and ② 'understanding the patterns of history' are the core of studying world history.
Chapter 1 of this book explores 20 key keywords in world history, and Chapter 2 examines 12 patterns that recur throughout world history.
This book will help you understand world history more easily.

This book defines ‘concentration and distribution of wealth’ as ‘politics.’
All of the events in world history that will be introduced below can be explained according to this political principle.
‘Once you’ve accumulated wealth, share it.’
Even in modern society, people pay taxes and receive administrative services in return.
This is a fundamental principle that has remained unchanged since the beginning of agriculture to the present.
With this in mind, let us embark on a deep and wide journey through world history.
--- From Chapter 0: What is 'Politics'?

Religion is ‘a belief that maintains the social system.’
Let's take Buddha's thought as an example.
Buddhism, which was born in a movement to reform the corrupt Brahmanical society, taught its followers to live ascetically.
Jesus' teachings, which emphasized God's absolute love, also spread among the masses who were suffering amidst the contradictions of Jewish society.
Both Buddhism and Christianity have been used in national governance due to their emphasis on norms and discipline.
Confucianism, founded by Confucius, can also be considered close to religion in that it is a powerful political ideology that promotes social stability.
Confucianism was adopted as the state religion of many Chinese dynasties for the purpose of stabilizing the political system.
In this way, religion contains a lot of political elements.

--- From "Chapter 1: 20 Keyword Words You Must Know to Understand World History"

Likewise, the premise of all social activities, such as farming, commerce, or the start time of a company's work or the start time of a train, is that 'we all keep to the time.'
So, to help people keep track of time, countries created a common calendar.
The Sumerians created a lunar calendar.
This is a calendar based on the waxing and waning of the moon.
Since the cycle is about 29.5 days, a year is not 365 days.
So the Sumerians adjusted for the difference by creating an intercalary month.
It appears that during the First Dynasty of Babylon, a lunisolar calendar was used that included the solar cycle.
In any case, astronomy developed in Mesopotamia because the movements of the sun and moon had to be carefully observed to create a calendar.
--- From "Chapter 2: Let's Learn About the 12 'Patterns' That Moved World History_Pattern 1: Means to Maintain the System"

The reason politics has tried to get closer to religion is to use the hierarchies of religious groups for governance.
This is an intention to run the country by utilizing the structure of religious organizations as is.
Religion could also be used to raise massive amounts of national funds.
So, throughout world history, countless countries have protected and encouraged religion, and even converted to it or made it their state religion.
--- From "Chapter 2: Let's Learn About the 12 'Patterns' That Moved World History_Pattern 4: Politics Uses Religion"

As the cold weather left less pasture for their livestock, the horse-riding nomads began to look outside.
From the steppes of the Caspian and Black Seas, the Huns embarked on expeditions to the west.
The Huns are a nomadic people of Mongolian and Turkic descent.
They left Central Asia around the 4th century and invaded Europe several times.
And he oppressed the Ostrogoths and Visigoths, Germanic tribes living along the Black Sea coast.
First, as the Ostrogoths were pushed westward, the pressure caused the Visigoths to begin moving south in 375, and the following year they crossed the Danube and invaded the Roman Empire.
This is the cause of the great migration of the Germanic peoples.
--- From "Chapter 2: Let's Learn About the 12 'Patterns' That Moved World History_Pattern 6: The Migration of Peoples Changes History"

Although several tyrants appeared afterward, the national power of the Roman Empire remained stable.
In particular, from the end of the 1st century to the 2nd century, it reached its golden age called 'Pax Romana (Roman Peace)'.
The capable Five Sage Emperors ascended the throne one after another and, with the abundant agricultural production as a backdrop, exquisitely redistributed wealth.
Talent and supplies flocked to Rome, the capital of the empire, from all over the provinces.
The densely packed transportation network gave rise to the saying, "All roads lead to Rome."
Especially during the reign of Emperor Trajan, the empire reached its greatest extent and enjoyed unprecedented prosperity.
The 2nd century can be considered the Roman era.

--- From "Chapter 2: Let's Learn About the 12 'Patterns' That Moved World History_Pattern 9: Nations and States That Gained Hegemony"