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Journey through human history from ancient civilizations to the modern era. Understand key events, cultures, and transformations.
History Modules
Available Now
Total Study Weeks
16 weeks
Active Students
10,000+
TA complete high-level survey of human history from the Stone Age to the Fall of Rome.
This module challenges the simplistic "decline and fall" narrative by analyzing the Late Roman period as a complex transformation. We diagnose the empire's structural failures—economic stagnation and political instability—while examining the massive reforms of Diocletian and Constantine. The course details the migration of Germanic peoples, the Christianization of the state, and the specific events leading to the collapse of the West in 476 AD. Finally, we explore how the seeds of medieval Europe were sown through the survival of the East and the rise of monasticism.
This module tracks the geopolitical explosion of the 6th and 7th centuries. We begin with the ambitious "Renovatio Imperii" of Justinian I—the last attempt to unite the Roman lake. We then pivot to the Arabian Peninsula to cover the single most transformative event of the Middle Ages: the birth of Islam and the rapid expansion of the Caliphate. Finally, we analyze the survival of the Latin West under the Merovingian kings and the rise of the Papacy, culminating in the cultural and religious split (Iconoclasm) that permanently divided East and West.
This module is the "Empire Strikes Back" of the Middle Ages. We detail the Carolingian attempt to reconstruct Roman authority in the West, the intellectual revival that saved Latin literacy, and the subsequent collapse into civil war. Crucially, we analyze the "Second Wave" of invasions (Vikings, Magyars, Saracens) not just as disasters, but as the catalysts that forced Europe to invent Feudalism. We also cover the "dark side" of the 10th century—the corruption of the Papacy and the militarization of the church.
This module is the "engine room" of the course. We stop the timeline to disassemble the machinery of medieval society. We go beyond the simple "feudal pyramid" to analyze the gritty reality: the complex web of vassalage, the crushing weight of serfdom, and the technological revolution (plows, mills) that fueled the population boom. Crucially, we also examine the "Outsiders" of this system—the Jews and the rising merchant class—and the brutal but effective justice system of the ordeal.
This module is the "World War I" of the Middle Ages. We detail the total overhaul of the Western Church (The Gregorian Reform) and the violent clash between Pope and Emperor. Crucially, we analyze the geopolitical triangle of the era: The Latin West (rising), the Byzantine East (stabilizing under the Komnenoi), and the Islamic World (fragmenting). We cover the First, Second, and Northern Crusades, the rise of the Papal Monarchy as a legal institution, and the massive cultural transfer that occurred when these three civilizations collided.
This module dissects the structural transformation of Europe. We move beyond the narrative to analyze the mechanics of the 12th Century. We analyze the "Aristotle Shock," the physics of Gothic engineering, the invention of financial capitalism, and the emotional invention of Purgatory. We explicitly question the concept of "Renaissance," analyze literacy rates, and map the global trade networks. Crucially, we cover the Cistercian technological revolution, the medical breakthroughs of Salerno, and the rise of the Italian City Republics.
TThis module pauses the political timeline to reconstruct the lived reality of the Middle Ages. We analyze the "Biological Ancien Régime"—the constant proximity of death and the struggle for calories. We dissect the Four Humors medical system, the strict Sumptuary Laws that dictated fashion, and the Guild regulations that controlled the economy. We explore the lives of the marginalized (Lepers, Prostitutes, Jews) and end with the "Ars Moriendi"—the medieval Art of Dying.
TThis module analyzes the Calamitous Century not as a series of accidents, but as a systemic collapse and rebirth. We dissect the Little Ice Age, the Black Death, and the Hundred Years' War. Crucially, we analyze the Byzantine Civil Wars that allowed the Ottomans to rise, the Bullion Famine that strangled the economy, and the Hussite Revolution that proved gunpowder could defeat chivalry. We end with the Conciliar Movement—the failed attempt to democratize the Church.
This module covers the "Pivot of History." We track the final collapse of the medieval order and the birth of the modern Fiscal-Military State. We analyze the Fall of Constantinople not just as a tragedy, but as the triumph of Ottoman statecraft. We dissect the Information Revolution (Printing), the Monetary Revolution (Price Inflation), and the Religious Revolution (Indulgences). Finally, we provide a meta-analysis of why the world of 1500 was fundamentally different in scale, speed, and power.