Encyclopedia of World History

The Encyclopedia of World History is a classic single volume work detailing world history. The first through fifth editions were edited by William L. Langer.

The Sixth Edition was—by the time of its publication—a much needed updating overseen by Peter N. Stearns, and was made available online.

Renowned historian Peter N. Stearns and thirty prominent historians have combined their expertise over the past ten years to perfect this comprehensive chronology of more than 20,000 entries that span the millennia from prehistoric times to the year 2000. — Bartleby.com

Publication history

Preceding works

• Ploetz, Karl (1860s). Auszug aus der alten, mittleren und neueren Geschichte. A reference work of German and central European history. 
• Channing, Edward (1883). Tillinghast, William H, ed. An Epitome of Ancient, Medieval, and Modern History. Houghton Mifflin Company. A translated and expanded edition of Dr. Karl Ploetz’s ‘Epitome of History’ with new sections on England and the United States. 
• Tillinghast, William H, ed. (1915). A Handbook of Universal History. Houghton Mifflin Company. A revised edition of An Epitome of Ancient, Medieval, and Modern History. 
• Barnes, Harry Elmer; Tillinghast, William H; Imlah, Albert H.; Peardon, Thomas Preston; Wuorinen, John Henry, eds. (1925). A Manual of Universal History. Houghton Mifflin Company. LCCN 25025211. A revised and expanded edition of A Handbook of Universal History. 

First five editions

An Encyclopedia of World History: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern, Chronologically Arranged.

Compiled and Edited by William L. Langer, Coolidge Professor of History, (Emeritus by 1968), Harvard University.

• First Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company. 1940. LCCN 43036919. A completely rewritten and updated edition of A Manual of Universal History, and its predecessors. 

• Revised Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company. 1948. LCCN 48011571. 

• Revised Third Edition, illustrated with Maps. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1952. LCCN 52009589. 

• Fourth Edition, revised and enlarged, with Maps and Genealogical Tables. Houghton Mifflin Company. 1968. ISBN 0-245-59622-4. LCCN 68014147. 

• Fifth Edition, revised and enlarged, with Maps and Genealogical Tables. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. April 1972. ISBN 0-395-13592-3. LCCN 72186219. 

Sixth Edition (2001)

Stearns, Peter N (ed.). The Encyclopedia of World History: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern, chronologically arranged. A completely revised and updated edition of the classic reference work originally compiled and edited by William L. Langer. 

• Houghton Mifflin Company (September 2001) ISBN 0-395-65237-5
• James Clarke & Co Ltd. (January 2002) ISBN 0-227-67968-7
• Bartleby.com (online, 2002 through June 2009)
• Easton Press (2006)