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Throughout history, different civilizations have
contributed to the cultural and intellectual life of
humanity. These periods are often called Golden
Ages, as society enjoys not only cultural and
intellectual achievements, but also stable government
and a strong economy.  In Asia, China experienced several periods of
achievement, with the Han Period qualifying as a true
Golden Age. Japan also achieved greatness in these
areas, under the strong leadership of the Tokugawa
Shogunate.
The rise of Islam gave way to an empire stretching
across three  continents. Contributions in the
areas of math, science, art, and literature influenced
many different peoples, including the African Trading Kingdoms
and later, the Europeans during the Renaissance.
In Europe, several civilizations contributed cultural
and intellectual achievements. The Greeks under
both Pericles of Athens, and Alexander the Great during
the Hellenistic period, excelled in areas such as art,
architecture, math, and science. The Romans
enjoyed a 200 year long peace that enabled some of the
greatest achievements in human history. The
rebirth of cultural and intellectual life during the
Renaissance, and later the Enlightenment, would be
strongly influenced by both the Greeks and the Romans.
This site is designed to aid students in reviewing
some of the civilizations that added greatly to the
cultural and intellectual life of humanity. This
site should be used in preparation
for the New York State Regents Exam in Global History
and Geography. In addition, students may test their
knowledge of the material presented here by accessing
multiple-choice questions from past Regents Exams.
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