A Diverse World
Diversity can be considered the root of all histories.  Differences among peoples and cultures has often caused conflict.  Not seeing another's point of view can have drastic consequences at the global level.  Diversity can also be used for positive ends.  Mohandas K. Gandhi once said, “Even differences prove helpful, where there are tolerance, charity, and truth.”  Many feel that differences should be shunned and reviled.  However, it is the great diversity among the many peoples of the world that makes history so interesting.  It is a great irony that there are those who desire uniqueness and then attempt to avoid or even lash out at anything that is different.  It may be that all people and cultures want to be unique.  If this is true, then it is the very diversity of the world that brings us all together. 

Overview
This site will explore historical episodes in which diversity plays a key role.  The approach will primarily be through comparison and contrast, which is typically a component of essay questions.  The pages of this site range from the very specific to the very general.  For example, cultures and people are often diverse because of the geography of a certain place.  Cultures will develop differently if a mountain range separates them.  The geographies of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America will be studied as an overview.  Also, despite distances and geographical features, cultures and civilizations have many common characteristics as well as differences.  The many empires of the world will be compared and contrasted.  Next, religious diversity within and without cultures has been the catalyst of many important historical events which has had a direct impact on today's world.  Finally, an overview of the role of women throughout history will be provided.  This will include specific historical figures as well as the impact of and on entire groups. 

This site is designed to aid students in the concept of diversity throughout human history.  This site should be used in preparation for the New York State Regents Exam in Global History and Geography. In addition, students may test their knowledge of the material presented here by accessing multiple-choice questions from past Regents Exams.