What is a Western World History Term Paper?
A western world history term paper is a project that a student completes to show their comprehension of a certain period in the past. It may also serve to test their ability to analyze the information. The term paper usually needs to be completed at the beginning or middle of a semester and should be based on a specific topic. It should be well researched and include an analysis of the topic’s significance to modern day society.
In the context of world history, the term western is used to refer to a grouping of countries with an originally European shared culture. This includes the United States, France, Germany, England and a few other nations that have long been part of the Western world. The term is not universally accepted, however. Some scholars believe that the term is more accurate to describe a political idea rather than a geographic or cultural reality.
The history of the west is not as simple as a golden thread connecting civilizations from ancient Greece to Renaissance Europe. In fact, it is more of a golden tapestry in which strands of diverse peoples and cultures have been interwoven through the centuries.
Western world history includes a series of wars, economic expansions, cultural revolutions and religious conflicts that have defined our modern world. The Western world has also been home to some of the most remarkable scientific discoveries and technological achievements of all time. The invention of the internet, for example, is a true milestone in modern history.
An important area for study is the Age of Exploration and Colonization. This was a time when European powers divided and exploited the world’s natural resources and people for their own benefit. It was a period in which nations became more developed in terms of size, wealth and autonomy; and in which the national boundaries we know today were established (think of France, Spain and England).
Some important events that have shaped western world history include the rise of Christianity and its influence on Western cultures, the effects of the Black Death on European society, and the Age of Enlightenment and its impact on the future of Western philosophy and science. Other important events include the fall of the Roman Empire, the Russian Revolution and the onset of World War I.
During the World Wars, many of the defining intellectual ideas of the modern world were born. These include the notion that there was a “true civilization” that was opposed by “barbarian” societies and that only those who were born in the West played a significant role in world history. When the Iron Curtain fell, this narrative quickly proved outdated and reductive. In today’s globalized world, the idea of a separate East vs. West is no longer as relevant as it once was. This is partly because the borders of the world have expanded, including some countries that were once considered to be members of the communist Eastern bloc in the Cold War.