The Western Experience, 10th Edition (Chambers)

Feature Summary

New Features

• Updated Chapter 12, "Tradition and Change in European Culture," places increased emphasis on the arts in the discussion of tradition and change in European Renaissance life.
• Coverage of the early nineteenth century has been combined into two new chapters 22, "The Making of Industrial Society" and 23, "States and Nations in the Nineteenth Century 1830-1870," creating more thematically coherent content, particularly in the coverage of industrialization and its effects.
• Expanded treatment of decolonization in Chapter 29, "Europe in the Postwar Era," adds coverage of this crucial and timely topic, from the birth of colonial nationalism to the legacies of colonialism in Europe and the former empires.
• New Chapter 30, "Europe in the Global Era," includes critically important new topics such as transnational and unity trends in Europe, postcolonial immigration issues, economic and cultural globalization, and the question of European identity and citizenship in the global era.
• Primary Source Investigator (PSI), now online with free access to all students, offers hundreds of primary and secondary sources including documents, images, maps, and videos, all keyed to chapters in the text. All assets are also indexed by type, subject, place, and time, allowing students and instructors to locate resources quickly and easily. A Research and Writing Center in PSI provides students with advice on topics such as good study habits, historical research and writing, and avoiding plagiarism.

Retained Features

• "Global Moments" essays focus on significant occasions when Europeans encountered other world civilizations, highlighting the broader context within which western history unfolded, including consideration of the diverse relations and diplomatic missions among the Franks, the Byzantines, and the Abbasid caliphate.
• Seven themes form the organizational framework through which the text analyzes societies and historical change: social structure, the body politic, technology, gender roles and family, war, religion, and cultural expression.
• More than 90 primary source excerpts in the text illustrate points made in the narrative, provide some flavor of the issues being discussed, and allow students the independence of judgment that comes from a careful reading of historical sources.
• "Historical Issues" essays explain major controversies over historical interpretations, illustrating how historical understanding is constructed and encouraging students to participate in these debates and to formulate their own positions. Topics include "On the Origins of the French Revolution" and "The Status of Women in the Middle Ages."
• A Glossary and Key Terms section helps students identify and define important terms that are bolded throughout the text.
• Chapter-opening timelines help students identify simultaneous developments and key dates.
• Chapter-opening outlines give students a sense of what's to come in each chapter and provide a structure for taking notes.
• End-of-chapter summaries provide a bridge between chapters, highlighting crucial connections.
• Lavish color illustrations help students visualize and concretize the abstract.