In this social history woven into a political and cultural framework, Sherman and Salisbury examine how the West evolved in time with--and, often, in response to--the events that shaped civilizations around the globe. In addition, this groundbreaking text distinguishes itself from standard survey texts by being the first to fully integrate visual history with the traditional narrative style. In integrated discussions of the book's visual program, the authors stress that works of art serve as primary sources of information about specific periods in history; The West in the World also includes visual learning tools such as "Thinking about Geography" maps with guiding questions, and timelines at the beginning and end of each chapter. Volume I begins with the Middle Eastern roots of western civilizaton and spans the period through the scientific revolution and the Enlightenment.