West End Civilization

Western history is one of the most interesting periods of world history because of its diversity. Western history covers a broad spectrum of human history from the Stone Age to the Renaissance and to the modern period. Western history has been dominated by Europe for centuries but it has also left an imprint on the rest of the world. Its influence has left traces on all the states that exist in today’s world. It has contributed to international politics and human rights especially freedom of expression.

The word “western” refers to the world as a whole. However, within this broad spectrum, there are many countries whose cultures and societies differ drastically. Western culture traces its origins to Europe and the Mediterranean area. It is closely associated with medieval Europe that emerged out of the Dark Ages into an enlightened and progressive human rights-loving region. This period of European history gave birth to several influential and notable figures such as Machiavellianism, Hobbesianism, enlightenment and liberalism.

One can say that western history is the period in world history when the major powers of the world were either closely allied or at war. The most prominent regions during this time period were Britain and France, since they had major colonial possessions in Africa, Asia and Latin America. These nations acted as the two hemispheres of Europe during the rise of western power. As a result, western influence was seen even in places not belonging to Europe such as India, China and Indonesia.

European history is characterized by profound changes in the societies across the west. A new, powerful European society emerged out of the ashes of the old Middle Eastern and Ancient Near Eastern societies. There were major transformations in the different political systems of Europe. The feudal system was replaced by capitalist democracy, industrialization occurred in Western countries and several colonies in the east and north Americas were established by European countries in the south. The development of economies, technology and culture brought about major changes in the society of the west.

Industrial revolution and rapid growth in towns provided the urban dwellers with many opportunities. This transformed the way people lived in the west. Rapidly emerging industries were based in large cities of the west. With the passage of time, new multinational companies emerged in the west with the western countries adopting highly advanced techniques of communication and mass production.

The Great Plains became the crossroads between the east and the west. This region was heavily populated and depended on the east for farming. This resulted in intense competition between the agricultural products produced by different states. The Great Plains became the world’s largest exporter of food grains and manufactured products. Agriculture was further developed in this area to feed the massive population.