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Storytime in your language! Discover the magic of reading in over 40 languages; each picture books comes with an English translation to help develop multilingual reading and listening skills.
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Great Courses volume 30
Description
In this final foray into Japan, you'll study the Heian period, which is one of the most fascinating periods in Japanese history. The Heians created a new political and social system that would dominate the country for a millennium. Unpack the era's political factions and the principles of land ownership, then turn to its artistic and literary achievements.
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Great Courses volume 29
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In 710, Japan's capital was moved to what is now Nara, and this shift marks the beginning of a new era in Japanese history. Tour the splendid new capital city, with its great halls and temples. The period's art, architecture, painting, and transcultural exchange created an extraordinary cosmopolitan environment.
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Great Courses volume 43
Description
Enter what historians sometimes call Japan's "medieval period," in which military governors known as "shoguns" commanded the state. Look at the Kamakura, Muromachi, and Tokugawa Shogunate periods, as well as the famous samurai warriors who played a distinctive role in Japanese life. Then turn to the era's entertainment culture.
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Great Courses volume 4
Description
Archaeologists continue to debate precisely why and how humanity transitioned from foraging to agriculture 10,000 years ago. Delve into the agricultural revolution to find out how some combination of climate change, population growth, and human ingenuity led to one of the most important revolutions in human history.
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Great Courses volume 22
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Pick up the story of Rome in the Augustan Golden Age and follow it through the infamous sack by the Visigoths. Explore the literature and propaganda of the empire, and examine the reign of some of Rome's most notorious rulers before concluding with a look at the emergence of Christianity.
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Great Courses volume 21
Description
Rome began as an unremarkable city-state with a monarchy, but once the city established itself as a republic, Roman conquests spread dramatically across the Mediterranean. Here, review some of Rome's great leaders from its beginning through the assassination of Julius Caesar and the reign of Octavian, Caesar Augustus.
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Great Courses volume 2
Description
Start with the geography and climate of China, the very cradle of Eastern civilization. After looking at the geographical regions of China, you'll explore the country's two great river systems - the Huang Ye (or Yellow River) and the Yangtze (or Chang Jiang) - which have divided Chinese culture into two distinct regions.
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Great Courses volume 27
Description
Shift your attention to the Americas, which developed on an alternate path from Afro-Eurasia. This first lecture traces the settlement of North America and investigates societies across different regions, from the southwestern deserts to the eastern woodlands. Learn about tribes such as the Iroquois nations, the Hopewell people, Pueblos, Chinooks, and more.
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Great Courses volume 3
Description
Although it is often skimmed over in the history books, the Paleolithic Era is the longest time in human history, ranging from 200,000 to 11,000 years ago. Understanding this period is crucial for understanding the human history that follows. See how family dynamics, migration patterns, climate change, and more affected life in this fascinating era.
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Great Courses volume 25
Description
Discover how the Silla kingdom united most of Korea by forging an alliance with the Tang dynasty in China. After examining how the Silla kingdom was organized, you'll turn to the northern Parhae kingdom - the beginning of a long history of division between north and south on the Korean peninsula.
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Great Courses volume 20
Description
Return to China and the era of fragmentation and conflict that followed the fall of the Han dynasty. Three kingdoms emerged, followed by the Jin and Sui dynasties. In this age of disunity, Buddhism made remarkable inroads into China as an alternative to Confucianism and Daoism, offering hope of salvation during a chaotic period.
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Great Courses volume 6
Description
Unpack a core theme in the foundation of Chinese government. The Mandate of Heaven - a belief that seizure of power could be justified as an expression of divine will - would resonate in Chinese political history for 3,000 years. Learn about the Zhou's overthrow of the Shang dynasty and the rich legacy of the Zhou dynasty.
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Great Courses volume 24
Description
Continue your study of Korea with a look at how ancient values and ideas, which were firmly rooted in the environment, became the foundations of the culture and history of the Korean people. Consider the early interaction between China and Korea, and witness the emergence of three powerful kingdoms that appeared late in the 1st century B.C.E.
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Great Courses volume 25
Description
The expansion of the Islamic civilization between the 8th and 10th centuries played a major role in the history of Afro-Eurasian states and cultures. Survey the story of Islam from the life of Mohammed to the Sunni-Shia split to the Islamic Golden Age. Review the pillars of the faith and the culture's impact on the world.
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Great Courses volume 26
Description
Following the end of the Silla kingdom, the Koryo dynasty would rule Korea for nearly 500 years and would be remembered as the most important and successful of all Korea's dynasties. This lecture examines the Koryo dynasty's government, culture, society, and bitter struggle with the Mongols.
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Great Courses volume 40
Description
After thousands of years, the dynastic system came to an end in China in 1912 with the abdication of Emperor Puyi at the age of six. Survey the many problems faced by the Qing dynasty in the 19th century - including the Opium Wars, peasant uprisings and rebellions, and the expanding European empires.
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Great Courses volume 38
Description
Delve into the Ming dynasty's great naval expeditions, led by the fascinating admiral Zheng He, a eunuch who crossed the Indian Ocean and brought rare and exotic treasures back to China. Then turn to Christianity and meet some of the Jesuit missionaries who visited China during the Ming dynasty - and consider some of the important ramifications of these missions.
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Great Courses volume 5
Description
After the agricultural revolution, the next major transition in human history was the rise of cities. After introducing you to life in the early farm communities, Professor Benjamin investigates the origins of power and its relationship to the state. Discover several of the abiding features of the world's early cities.
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Great Courses volume 48
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End your journey through the story of Eastern civilization by reflecting on the role of East Asia in the world today. What insights do the events at Tiananmen Square in 1989 shed on the people of China? Will China eventually democratize? What will become of China's One Child Policy? How will the story of Eastern civilization continue to unfold?
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Great Courses volume 12
Description
While agrarian civilizations were flourishing in Egypt and the Mediterranean, the extraordinary Indus civilization was emerging in South Asia. Witness the development of one of the most advanced and intriguing civilizations of its time, and then tour two of its most important cities, Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.
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