The Western Experience offers a thorough, analytical overview of Western civilization, giving students an introduction to the major achievements in Western thought, art, and science--as well as the social, political, and economic context for understanding those developments. To help readers develop their reasoning and writing skills, each chapter is constructed to serve as an example of a historical essay: A historical problem is presented, and arguments are developed using historical evidence.

Available in a single volume as well as two-volume and three-volume formats, The Western Experience now devotes an entire chapter to empires in the nineteenth-century. Based on the work of Lisa Tiersten, Chapter 26 "Nineteenth-Century Empires" has impressive breath and depth of coverage both chronologically (nineteenth century, 1780-1914) and geographically. The chapter also includes exciting new illustrations and photographs and new primary source material.