Worlds Together Worlds Apart is a book that provides a reader with a comprehension of history up to the fifteenth century. It discusses the pre-modern and post-modern world, evaluates the issues in different periods, and helps gain a better understanding of history in chronological order. The book is written by Elizabeth Pollard, Clifford Rosenberg, and Robert Tignor, who provide students with an engaging narrative and easily understandable information. Therefore, this book focuses on exploring the history from the beginning to the fifteenth century, preliminary examining the pre-modern world itself.
The first chapters focus on the forming of society and the development of human beings. It is stated that all people had African heritage; however, they had to adapt to different climates they migrated to and therefore form unique communities, and the culture shift was spotted. The race was not considered a factor, mainly because all people came preliminary from one place. More complex systems in social regulations appeared; many aspects were based on the territory where people lived. The authors bring the example of rivers being the significant factor in cities’ functioning, where cities near single rivers were more stable, and rivalry was low. Whereas cities near wider rivers were more competitive, more immense attention was needed to keep them under control. However, later in history, rivers stopped playing a significant role in forming and organizing successful economic centers, and second-generation societies started developing. Intelligence and intellectualism became of importance. Religion has reinforced that people and philosophers have acknowledged their opinions on nature, values, and politics.
The historical path continued with the appearance of the imperial systems of Rome and Han China. In the new era, religion and common culture united areas in Afro-Eurasia. The creation of these imperial systems has become a step forward from the previous unity methods, which were military conquest and political institutions. The era noted by the authors was prominent because the central aspect of it was religion itself, which was not only uniting lands but organizing societies as well. In western Europe, the new Catholic faith has risen, whereas Buddhism has paved its way to prevail in Chinese culture in East Asia. Some cultures remained local; however, for instance, Maya, which were not connected and united through religion with other communities. Religion has continued to be an underlying force, later became a reason for competition between different countries. Islam, for example, has challenged the spreading of Christianity across the lands. However, the reappearance of Confucianism in the Tang Empire was a counteract, as it was not considered a religion, yet focused on political and moral aspects of life, which prevailed and outstood Buddhism at the time.
The time of forming large cultural spheres in Afro-Eurasia is around 1000 and 1300 CE. Trade and migration were the core aspects of developing economics. Islam as a religion was established, and therefore uniting the lands through this religion was successful. However, Christian Europe was against Islam and was in a cultural war with Arab lands, while China was successful at trading and was also influencing lands around Europe. The lands that were not integrating via religion with the same success, such as sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas, explored trade and thrived through it. The appearance of Mongol armies has undermined the authorities in the world and has integrated politics into the present systems of trade links. Therefore, cross-cultural exchanges have started, and different empires have started coming together. Yet, the world had to face another challenge: the Black Death, which later undermined political regimes, although the cultural unity and universal religions stayed. New monarchies were established in Europe, noting the beginning of a revival after the catastrophe.
The challenges emerging in the pre-modern world have been added to issues that have existed before and have become more complex. For instance, religion was the main factor in uniting communities into empires, instilling control, and unifying culture over them. Later, religious disputes have arisen and are existing in the present. Now the understanding of religion is feeble, and it became more critical which religion is more vital and adheres to people’s principles. There now cannot be one religion, as the world has evolved and multiple cultures appeared. There was a problem of military conquests and the acquisition of other countries; if the army was strong, the empire won. In the modern world, however, this approach is not successful long-term. With the appearance of knowledge, information, and a strong sense of culture, people would still belong to the community they originally belonged to. Therefore, the organization was also based on the culture developed and place a person was accustomed to.
In conclusion, the authors of Worlds Together Worlds Apart help foster discussion on the difference between the pre-modern and post-modern world. It is apparent how the world changed over the centuries and what shifts had happened. The reader can see the process of creating the governmental systems and what it was based on. The underlying organization was based on culture and locations in the pre-modern world, and the issues that emerged then have merged with those the world is facing nowadays.