World, The: A Television History (Parts 1-13)

Synopsis
Based on ‘The Times Atlas of World History’, the series of 26 30-minute programmes presents the history of mankind on a global scale. It uses specially designed animated maps, computer-generated graphics and archive footage.

1: The progress of early humanoids from their original habitat in equatorial Africa. Once established, man spread quickly to Europe, Asia, America and Australia.
2: The gradual transformation of man the hunter to man the farmer. The development of agriculture provided the basis for the spectacular growth in human populations which followed.
3: The rise of the earliest civilisations in the fertile valleys of the major rivers in the Near East and China. With the growth of cities, social structures were established, ushering a great period of creativity. With these achievements city-states and empires brought political dependence and the rise of ruling oligarchies.
4: The epoch-making development of iron smelting and manufacturing in eastern Asia Minor and its effect on early civilisations based on the great river valleys. The spread of iron weapons together with the use of horse and the horse-drawn chariots enabled nomadic invaders to challenge and defeat the foot soldiers of the early civilisations. Also traces the first European civilisation of Minoan Crete, the kingdoms and empires of the North East, and the rise of the first empires in India and China.
5: The political evolution of Greece into city-states and the Greek colonisation of the Aegean and Asia Minor where she came up against the Persian empire under Darius and Xerxes. Traces the consequent overshadowing of Greece by the empires of the East. Examines the spread of Roman control over Italy, the beginning of the Roman Empire and its expansion over Europe. Also traces the decline of Rome and the division of the Empire between East and West.
6: How, why and where organised religion replaced tribal and fertility gods. All the major religions to one degree or another shared a belief in a single spiritual relaity valid for all mankind. Also looks at the spread of Mithraism and the final triumph of Christianity in the West.
7: The division of the Roman Empire paved the way for the Germanic invasions of Hungary, Italy, Gaul and Bulgaria. Nor did Asia escape the onslaught of barbarian tribesmen, while elsewhere in the world new civilisations developed.
8: The growth of Islam into one of the world’s greatest empires, which for five centuries kept the flame of civilisation burning during the Dark Ages of western Europe. Explores the origin and nature of Islam.
9: Europe slowly begins to recover from the Dark Ages. Looks at the history of the Crusades and the conditions that gave birth to the great maritime republics of Venice and Genoa.
10: The spread of the Mongols, led by Genghis Khan, across Asia and the creation one of the largest empires in world history.
11: The travels of Marco Polo, Bartholomeu Dias, Cabral, Columbus and other early navigators and their voyages of discovery. In 1347 the plague struck, and famine and disease took their toll.
12: The bloody massacre of the Chou royal family and Yang Chen proclaiming himself Emperor of a new dynasty, the Sui, and uniting China after years of disunity. This was the beginning of incredible engineering achievements. New dynasties followed: the T’ang and Sung, both of which brought new prosperity and artistic skills to the people of China.
13: The Mongol warrior Kublai Khan who succeeded in bringing the whole of China under foreign rule, leading to a period of great artistic and cultural expansion. Later the Ming built huge fleet of ships and sailed for Arabia and Africa and built the great wall. Important developments were taking place also in Japan, under the Kamakura and Ashikaga shogunates.
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Medium
Video
Year of production
1983
Notes
Broadcast in weekly parts on C4, beginning 25/5/1983

NB Combined with parts 14 - 26 in one 7-disk DVD set
Subjects
History
Keywords
agricultural development; birth; China; civilisation; famine; Greece; Islam; Japan; Mongolia; prehistoric cultures; religious belief and practice; Roman Empire

Credits

Cast
Robert Powell 

Distribution Formats

Type
DVD
Format
Region 0 NTSC
Price
$39.49
Availability
Sale
Year
2012

Sections

Title
Human origins: 10,000,000-8000 BC
Synopsis
1: The progress of early humanoids from their original habitat in equatorial Africa. Once established, man spread quickly to Europe, Asia, America and Australia.

Title
Agricultural revolution, The: 8000-5000 BC
Synopsis
2: The gradual transformation of man the hunter to man the farmer. The development of agriculture provided the basis for the spectacular growth in human populations which followed.

Title
Birth of civilisation, The: 6000-2000 BC
Synopsis
3: The rise of the earliest civilisations in the fertile valleys of the major rivers in the Near East and China. With the growth of cities, social structures were established, ushering a great period of creativity. With these achievements city-states and

Title
Age of iron, The: 2000 BC-200 AD
Synopsis
4: The epoch-making development of iron smelting and manufacturing in eastern Asia Minor and its effect on early civilisations based on the great river valleys. The spread of iron weapons together with the use of horse and the horse-drawn chariots enabled

Title
Greece and Rome: 1200 BC-5000 AD
Synopsis
5: The political evolution of Greece into city-states and the Greek colonisation of the Aegean and Asia Minor where she came up against the Persian empire under Darius and Xerxes. Traces the consequent overshadowing of Greece by the empires of the East. E

Title
World religions, The: 600 BC-500 AD
Synopsis
6: How, why and where organised religion replaced tribal and fertility gods. All the major religions to one degree or another shared a belief in a single spiritual relaity valid for all mankind. Also looks at the spread of Mithraism and the final triumph

Title
End of the ancient world, The: 100-600 AD
Synopsis
7: The division of the Roman Empire paved the way for the Germanic invasions of Hungary, Italy, Gaul and Bulgaria. Nor did Asia escape the onslaught of barbarian tribesmen, while elsewhere in the world new civilisations developed.

Title
Islam: 600-1200 AD
Synopsis
8: The growth of Islam into one of the world's greatest empires, which for five centuries kept the flame of civilisation burning during the Dark Ages of western Europe. Explores the origin and nature of Islam.

Title
Europe recovers: 800-1250 AD
Synopsis
9: Europe slowly begins to recover from the Dark Ages. Looks at the history of the Crusades and the conditions that gave birth to the great maritime republics of Venice and Genoa.

Title
Mongol onslaught, The: 850-1500 AD
Synopsis
10: The spread of the Mongols, led by Genghis Khan, across Asia and the creation one of the largest empires in world history.

Title
Expansion of Europe, The: 1250-1500
Synopsis
11: The travels of Marco Polo, Bartholomeu Dias, Cabral, Columbus and other early navigators and their voyages of discovery. In 1347 the plague struck, and famine and disease took their toll.

Title
China in transition: 581-1279 AD
Synopsis
12: The bloody massacre of the Chou royal family and Yang Chen proclaiming himself Emperor of a new dynasty, the Sui, and uniting China after years of disunity. This was the beginning of incredible engineering achievements. New dynasties followed: the T'a

Title
China and Japan: 1279-1600 AD
Synopsis
13: The Mongol warrior Kublai Khan who succeeded in bringing the whole of China under foreign rule, leading to a period of great artistic and cultural expansion. Later the Ming built huge fleet of ships and sailed for Arabia and Africa and built the great

Production Company

Name

Network Television

Address
London W1V 3DF

Sponsor

Name

Channel 4

Distributor

Name

MediaOutlet.com

Email
service@prosperohouse.com
Web
http://www.mediaoutlet.com/ External site opens in new window
Address
PO Box 1432
Bayonne
NJ 07002
USA
Notes
Specialises in US archival moving image and sound material, particularly vintage radio and public service films and broadcasts that have been digitally restored. Formerly known as Earthstation.com. Sale on multi-region DVD or CD.

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