This comprehensive, mainstream text takes a social approach to history, using political history as its basic framework. It is known for its readability, its attention to recent scholarship, and its new historical interpretations.

The new edition features increased coverage of global topics. Material on the Middle Ages has been consolidated to allow more room for non-Western coverage. Chapter 27 from the previous edition, which covered both Africa and Asia, has been split into separate chapters on each region. Chapter 11 from the previous edition—on Asia and the Mongols—has been divided into separate chapters on East and South Asia.