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The Western Tradition

7.0 IMDb tt7106818 1989 Documentary

Covering the ancient world through the age of technology, this illustrated lecture by Eugen Weber presents a tapestry of political and social events woven with many strands — religion, industry, agriculture, demography, government, economics, and art. A visual feast of over 2,700 images from the Metropolitan Museum of Art portrays key events that shaped the development of Western thought, culture, and tradition.

The Dawn of History 30m The origins of the human race are traced from anthropoid ancestors to the agricultural revolution.

The Ancient Egyptians 30m Egyptian irrigation created one of the first great civilizations.

Mesopotamia 30m Settlements in the Fertile Crescent gave rise to the great river civilizations of the Middle East.

From Bronze to Iron 30m Metals revolutionized tools, as well as societies, in the empires of Assyria, Persia, and Neo-Babylonia.

The Rise of Greek Civilization 30m Democracy and philosophy arose from Greek cities at the edge of the civilized world.

Greek Thought 30m Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle laid the foundation of Western intellectual thought.

Alexander the Great 30m Alexander's conquests quadrupled the size of the world known to the Greeks.

The Hellenistic Age 30m Hellenistic kingdoms extended Greek culture throughout the Mediterranean.

The Rise of Rome 30m Through its army, Rome built an empire that shaped the West.

The Roman Empire 30m Rome's civil engineering contributed as much to the empire as did its weapons.

Early Christianity 30m Christianity spread despite contempt and persecution from Rome.

The Rise of the Church 30m The old heresy became the Roman empire's official religion under the Emperor Constantine.

The Decline of Rome 30m While enemies slashed at Rome's borders, civil war and economic collapse destroyed the empire from within.

The Fall of Rome 30m Despite the success of emperors such as Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius, Rome fell victim to barbarian invasions.

The Byzantine Empire 30m From Constantinople, the Byzantine Empire carried on the traditions of Greece and Rome.

The Fall of Byzantium 30m Nearly a thousand years after Rome's fall, Constantinople was conquered by the forces of Islam.

The Dark Ages 30m Barbarian kingdoms took possession of the fragments of the Roman Empire.

The Age of Charlemagne 30m Charlemagne revived hopes for a new empire in Western Europe.

The Middle Ages 30m Amid invasion and civil disorder, a military aristocracy dominated the kingdoms of Europe.

The Feudal Order 30m Bishop, knight, and peasant exemplified some of the social divisions of the year 1000 A.D.

Common Life in the Middle Ages 30m Famine, disease, and short life expectancies were the conditions that shaped medieval beliefs.

Cities and Cathedrals of the Middle Ages 30m The great churches embodied the material and spiritual ambitions of the age.

The Late Middle Ages 30m Two hundred years of war and plague debilitated Europe.

The National Monarchies 30m A new urban middle class emerged, while dynastic marriages established centralized monarchies.

Renaissance & the Age of Discovery 30m Renaissance humanists made man "the measure of all things." Europe was possessed by a new passion for knowledge.

Renaissance & the New World 30m The discovery of America challenged Europe.

The Reformation 30m Voiced by Martin Luther, Protestantism shattered the unity of the Catholic Church.

The Rise of the Middle Class 30m As the cities grew, new middle-class mores had an impact on religious life.

The Wars of Religion 30m For more than a century, the quarrels of Protestants and Catholics tore Europe apart.

The Rise of the Trading Cities 30m Amid religious wars, a few cities learned that tolerance increased their prosperity.

The Age of Absolutism 30m Exhausted by war and civil strife, many Europeans exchanged earlier liberties and anarchies for greater peace.

Absolutism and the Social Contract 30m Arguments about the legitimate source of political power centered on divine right versus natural law.

The Enlightened Despots 30m Monarchs considered reforms in order to create more efficient societies, but not at the expense of their own…

The Enlightenment 30m Intellectual theories about the nature of man and his potential came to the fore.

The Enlightenment and Society 30m Scientists and social reformers battled for universal human rights during a peaceful and prosperous period.

The Modern Philosophers 30m Freedom of thought and expression opened new vistas explored by French, English, and American thinkers.

The American Revolution 30m The British colonists created a society that tested Enlightenment ideas and resisted restrictions imposed by England.

The American Republic 30m A new republic, the compromise of radicals and conservatives, was founded on universal freedoms.

The Death of the Old Regime 30m In France the old order collapsed under revolutionaries' attacks and the monarchy's own weakness.

The French Revolution 30m Liberty, equality, and fraternity skidded into a reign of Terror.

The Industrial Revolution 30m Technology and mass production reduced famine and ushered in higher standards of living.

The Industrial World 30m A consumer revolution was fueled by coal, public transportation, and new city services.

Revolution and Romantics 30m Leaders in the arts, literature, and political theory argued for social justice and national liberation.

The Age of the Nation-States 30m The great powers cooperated to quell internal revolts, yet competed to acquire colonies.

A New Public 30m Public education and mass communications created a new political life and leisure time.

Fin de Siècle 30m Everyday life of the working class was transformed by leisure, prompting the birth of an elite avant-garde movement.

The First World War and the Rise of Fascism 30m Old empires crumbled during World War I to be replaced by right-wing dictatorships in Italy, Spain, and Germany.

The Second World War 30m World War II was a war of new tactics and strategies. Civilian populations became targets as the Nazi…

The Cold War 30m The U.S. and Soviet Union dominated Europe and confronted each other in Korea.

Europe and the Third World 30m Burdened with the legacy of colonial imperialism, the Third World rushed development to catch up with its Western…

The Technological Revolution 30m Keeping up with the ever-increasing pace of change became the standard of the day.

Toward the Future 30m Modern medicine, atomic energy, computers, and new concepts of time, energy, and matter all have an important effect…

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