It is a pleasure to thank the many instructors who critiqued the book in preparation for this revision:

Stewart Anderson, Brigham Young University

Brian Arendt, Lindenwood University

Stephen Auerbach, Georgia College

Michael Bardot, Lincoln University

Natalie Bayer, Drake University

Michael Bazemore, William Peace University

Brian Becker, Delta State University

Rosemary Bell, Skyline College

Chris Benedetto, Granite State College

Wesley L. Bishop, Pitt Community College

Robert Blackey, California State University–San Bernardino

Edward Bond, Alabama A&M University

Nathan Brooks, New Mexico State University

Jurgen Buchenau, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Paul Buckingham, Morrisville State College

Steven B. Bunker, University of Alabama

Kate Burlingham, California State University, Fullerton

David Bush, The College of the Siskiyous

Laura M. Calkins, Texas Tech University

Robert Caputi, Erie Community College–North Campus

Lucia Carter, Mars Hill College

Lesley Chapel, Saginaw Valley State University

Nevin Crouse, Chesapeake College

Everett Dague, Benedictine College

Jeffrey Demsky, San Bernardino Valley College

Peter de Rosa, Bridgewater State University

Nicholas Di Liberto, Newberry College

Randall Dills, University of Louisville

Shawn Dry, Oakland Community College

Roxanne Easley, Central Washington University

John Fielding, Mount Wachusett Community College

Barbara Fuller, Indian River State College

Dolores Grapsas, New River Community College

Emily Fisher Gray, Norwich University

Gayle Greene-Aguirre, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

Neil Greenwood, Cleveland State Community College

Christian Griggs, Dalton State College

W. Scott Haine, Cañada College

Irwin Halfond, McKendree University

Alicia Harding, Southern Maine Community College

Jillian Hartley, Arkansas Northeastern College

Robert Haug, University of Cincinnati

John Hunt, Utah Valley University

Fatima Imam, Lake Forest College

Rashi Jackman, De Anza College

Jackie Jay, Eastern Kentucky University

Timothy Jenks, East Carolina University

Andrew Kellett, Harford Community College

Christine Kern, Edinboro University

Christopher Killmer, St. Johns River State College

Mark Klobas, Scottsdale Community College

Chris Laney, Berkshire Community College

Erick D. Langer, Georgetown University

Mary Jean Lavery, Delaware County Community College

Mark Lentz, University of Louisiana, Lafayette

Darin Lenz, Fresno Pacific University

Yi Li, Tacoma Community College

Jonas Liliequist, Umeå University

Ron Lowe, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Mary Lyons-Carmona, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Elizabeth S. Manley, Xavier University of Louisiana

Brandon D. Marsh, Bridgewater College

Sean F. McEnroe, Southern Oregon University

John McLeod, University of Louisville

Brendan McManus, Bemidji State University

Christina Mehrtens, University of Massachusetts–Dartmouth

Charlotte Miller, Middle Georgia State College

Robert Montgomery, Baldwin Wallace University

Curtis Morgan, Lord Fairfax Community College

Richard Moss, Harrisburg Area Community College

Larry Myers, Butler Community College

Erik Lars Myrup, University of Kentucky

April Najjaj, Mount Olive College

Katie Nelson, Weber State University

Lily Rhodes Novicki, Virginia Western Community College

Monica Orozco, Westmont College

Neal Palmer, Christian Brothers University

Jenifer Parks, Rocky Mountain College

Melinda Pash, Fayetteville Technical Community College

Tao Peng, Minnesota State University–Mankato

Patricia Perry, St. Edward’s University

William Plants, University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College

Joshua Pollock, Modesto Junior College

Fabrizio Prado, College of William & Mary

Daniel Prosterman, Salem College

Tracie Provost, Middle Georgia College

Melissa Redd, Pulaski Technical College

Charles Reed, Elizabeth City State University

Leah Renold, Texas State University

Kim Richardson, Front Range Community College

David Ruffley, Colorado Mountain College

Martina Saltamacchia, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Karl Schmidt, South Dakota State University

Kimberly Schutte, SUNY–The College at Brockport

Eva Seraphin, Irvine Valley College

Courtney Shah, Lower Columbia College

Jeffrey Shumway, Brigham Young University

David Simonelli, Youngstown State University

James Smith, Southwest Baptist University

Kara D. Smith, Georgia Perimeter College

Ilicia Sprey, Saint Joseph’s College

Rachel Standish, San Joaquin Delta College

Kate Staples, West Virginia University

Brian Strayer, Andrews University

Sonia Chandarana Tandon, Forsyth Technical Community College

James Todesca, Armstrong Atlantic State University

Elisaveta Todorova, University of Cincinnati

Dianne Walker, Baton Rouge Community College

Kenneth Wilburn, East Carolina University

Carol Woodfin, Hardin-Simmons University

Laura Zeeman, Red Rocks Community College

It is also a pleasure to thank the many editors who have assisted us over the years, first at Houghton Mifflin and now at Bedford/St. Martin’s. At Bedford/St. Martin’s, these include senior development editors Sara Wise and Laura Arcari; associate editor Robin Soule; editorial assistant Arrin Kaplan; former executive editor Traci Mueller Crowell; director of development Jane Knetzger; publisher for history Mary Dougherty; photo researcher Bruce Carson; text permissions editor Eve Lehmann; and senior production editor Christina Horn, with the assistance of Erica Zhang and the guidance of Sue Brown, director of editing and design, and managing editor Michael Granger. Other key contributors were page makeup artist Cia Boynton, copy editor Jennifer Brett Greenstein, proofreaders Linda McLatchie and Angela Morrison, indexer Leoni McVey, and cover designer Donna Dennison. We would also like to thank former vice president for editorial humanities Denise Wydra and former president Joan E. Feinberg.

Many of our colleagues at the University of Illinois, the University of Washington, the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and Eastern Illinois University continue to provide information and stimulation, often without even knowing it. We thank them for it. The authors recognize John P. McKay, Bennett D. Hill, and John Buckler, the founding authors of this textbook, whose vision set a new standard for world history textbooks. The authors also thank the many students over the years with whom we have used earlier editions of this book. Their reactions and opinions helped shape our revisions to this edition, and we hope it remains worthy of the ultimate praise they bestowed, that it is “not boring like most textbooks.” Merry Wiesner-Hanks would, as always, like to thank her husband, Neil, without whom work on this project would not be possible. Clare Haru Crowston thanks her husband, Ali, and her children, Lili, Reza, and Kian, who are a joyous reminder of the vitality of life that we try to showcase in this book. Roger Beck thanks Ann for supporting him while she was completing her Ph.D. He is also grateful to the World History Association for all past, present, and future contributions to his understanding of world history. Jerry Dávila thanks Liv, Ellen, and Alex, who are reminders of why history matters.

Each of us has benefited from the criticism of his or her coauthors, although each of us assumes responsibility for what he or she has written. Merry Wiesner-Hanks has written and revised Chapters 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 14, and 15; Patricia Buckley Ebrey has written and revised Chapters 3, 4, 7, 9, 12, 13, 17, 21, and 26; Roger B. Beck has written and revised Chapters 10, 20, 25, and 28–30; Clare Haru Crowston has written and revised Chapters 16, 18, 19, and 22–24; and Jerry Dávila has completely rewritten Chapters 11, 27, and 31–33.