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Democratic ideas first developed in Greece in  limited form around 500 BC. The concept of a direct democracy is developed around 450 BC by the Greek ruler Pericles. Rome develops the idea of the republic and records fair, impartial laws, establishing the idea of a "government of laws, not of men."

Judaism promotes the idea that people are responsible for making moral choices and for fighting against poverty and injustice. Christianity promotes the idea of equality, which is central to democracy. The Renaissance and Reformation further the ideas of individualism and of challenging authoritarian institutions.

Two great European movements--the Renaissance and the Reformation--usher in dramatic cultural and social changes. The Renaissance marked the flowering of artistic creativity, while the Reformation led to new Christian beliefs.

The Renaissance, a period of intellectual and artistic creativity, flourishes in Italy, beginning about 1300. Versatile artists transform painting, sculpture, and literature. In 1400s, Renaissance ideas spread to northern Europe, where German and Flemish masters create distinctive works of art. The books of northern Renaissance writers and philosophers become widely available because of the invention of the printing press.

Martin Luther, a German monk, challenges the authority of the Catholic Church and triggers the Reformation--a movement for religious reform. The Reformation spreads to England when King Henry VIII breaks ties with the Catholic Church. John Calvin develops a system of Protestant theology that gains popularity among other European reformers. To stem the spread of Protestantism, the Catholic Church initiates its own reforms.

From 1500 to 1800 marked the era of absolute monarchs in Europe. Although in some countries monarchs had vast power and wealth, toward the end of the 1500s, the force of constitutional law was already limiting royal power in such nations as England and the Netherlands.

The Enlightenment ushered in a new era of discovery and inquiry. Philosophers believed that human reason could create a more humane and just government, religion, and society. These ideas influenced the American Revolution and the resulting creation of a democratic federal government.

Revolution swept through France, overthrowing the monarchy. Instead of creating a democracy, however, France embraced Napoleon, who attempted to conquer most of Europe. After his downfall, Europe enjoyed a brief period of peace and stability.

The forces of nationalism spurred Germany, Italy, and several Latin American nations to forge their own political identities in the 1800s. Although Latin American nations threw off colonial rule, they struggled to build stable governments and to ensure prosperity for their people.

During the 1800s, Britain, the United States, and some European countries underwent great changes as a result of the Industrial Revolution. The widening gap between rich and poor prompted a series of social and political reforms.

Nations in Western Europe and North America, along with Australia and New Zealand, adopted democratic institutions, but some of these nations suppress their native populations. Changes in the arts and sciences transformed people's daily lives and created a mass culture.

With their superior technology and weapons, Western nations competed to acquire territory in Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific. The colonies were rich in natural resources and markets for Western goods. Native resistance movements rebelled against colonial rule.

Countries around the world adapted to contact with Western nations. China fell under foreign domination, but Japan and Korea responded by modernizing their countries. Although Latin American nations freed themselves form colonialism, they remained economically and politically unstable.

Rivalries among European powers led to a system of military alliances that, sparked by a political assassination drew Europe and other regions into World War I. The victors dictated harsh peace terms, leaving hard feelings that set the stage for World War II.

World War I helped ignite the Russian Revolutions of 1917, which replaced czarist rule with the first communist government, under Lenin. Stalin completed the transformation of the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state. After the fall of the Qing Dynasty in China, nationalists and Communists vie for power. Nationalist movements rise in India and Southwest Asia.

New ideas in science, technology, and the arts emerge in the postwar period. The Great Depression of the 1930s bring new political crises. In response to aggression by Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, Britain and France pursue a policy of appeasement, while the United States followed a path of isolationism.

The expansionism of Germany and Japan led to World War II. After the initial defeats in Europe and the Pacific, the Allies won the war. The victory cost millions of lives and left Europe and Japan economically and socially devastated.

With much of Europe and parts of Asia in ruins after World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as rival superpowers. Their political and military confrontations dominated world affairs for the next 40 years.

The 1980s and 1990s witnesses a dramatic shift toward democracy in many areas around the world. The Soviet Union dissolved into 15 separate republics, while military dictatorships fell in Latin America. Nigeria and South Africa pursued democratic goals, and China reformed its economy.

Advances in science, communications, and technology improves life for many people and help create a global economy. Nations around the world must adjust to new patterns of work, ensure the rights of their diverse populations, protect their environments, and achieve peaceful relations with their neighbors.