This page brings together free online books, topic searches and Open Access textbooks from publishers like AMSCO, McGraw Hill, Prentice Hall, Pearson, HMH, Holt McDougal, Cengage Learning, Oxford University, Bedford/St. Martin’s, Barron’s and more.
The Topics section below helps readers find books and documents within the huge Internet Archive collection, which includes periodicals and other materials, from older historical works to recent publications. Each topic link generates an Internet Archive search focused on that subject. Browsing the topics and selecting those of interest is usually easier and more effective than searching Internet Archive directly.
Sections below Topics provide links to texbooks and modern Open Access books. See those sections for more information.
Topics – World History and Civilization – Textbooks and Instructional Materials
The topic links below lead to Internet Archive search results related to world history textbooks. Each link opens a books-and-documents search focused on a particular topic.
Search results generally include fully readable books, periodicals, and other documents. For some subjects, Internet Archive also contains other media, such as images, audio, or video files. These can be selected from the media options above the search results. Filters on the left side of Internet Archive pages can help narrow search results by year, language, or related subjects.
- Civilization – History – Textbooks
- Civilization, Ancient – Textbooks
- Civilization, Medieval – Textbooks
- Civilization, Modern – Textbooks
- Civilization, Western – Textbooks
- Economic history – Textbooks
- Europe – Civilization – Textbooks
- Geography, Ancient – Textbooks
- Islamic Civilization – Textbooks
- Middle Ages – Textbooks
World History Textbooks PDF – By Year of Publication
The selected free online books below provide an alternative to searching Internet Archive through the Topics section above. These individual titles were chosen as especially useful or representative works related to subjects on this page.
2023 – World History Textbook Online
World History Cultures, States, and Societies to 1500
Amelia Brister, Andrew Reeves, et al
Affordable Learning LOUISiana 2023
Open Access World History and Geography. Modern World History Patterns of Interaction PDF.
2022 – Modern World History Textbook PDF
World History: Modern [1200 – Present]
Author: Janis, Jody, et al
Publisher: AMSCO 2022
Advanced Placement Modern World History PDF.
2021 – Global History Textbooks PDF
Modern World History
Allosso, Dan and Williford, Tom
Minnesota Libraries Publishing Project 2021
This is the textbook for an undergraduate survey course taught at all the universities and most of the colleges in the Minnesota State system. Open Access free online textbooks.
Ancient World History to 1300 C.E.
Kelly Wrenhaven, Meshack Owino, Shelly Rose
Michael Schwartz Library Pressbooks 2021
This textbook is divided into three sections: Africa, Asia & Americas, and Europe. It explores the history of the world from pre-historic times to 1300 C.E., paying specific attention to the interconnections (or disconnections) between peoples and regions.
World History to 1700
Rene L. M. Paredes
Achieving the Dream 2021
This text covers world history to 1700 CE.
Western Civilization II
Julianna Wilson
Achieving the Dream 2021
The objective of this course is to cover history from the Wars of Religion through the current day.
Western Civilization I
Julianna Wilson
Achieving the Dream 2021
Pre-history to the Wars of Religion, a period extending from 10,000 BCE to 1648 CE. Includes transition from pre-historic to the historic period, Greco-Roman world, Early, Central, and Late Middle Ages, and Renaissance and Reformation.
Western Civilization
John McLean
Achieving the Dream 2021
This textbook is an introduction to the study of Western Civilization.
2020 – Western Civilization Textbooks PDF
Western Civilization: A Concise History (Vol 1)
Western Civilization: A Concise History (Vol 2)
Western Civilization: A Concise History (Vol 3)
Brooks, Christopher
Portland Community College 2020
Western Civilization: A Concise History is an Open Educational Resource textbook covering the history of Western Civilization from approximately 8,000 BCE to 2017 CE. It is available in three volumes covering the following time periods: Volume 1: from the origins of civilization in Mesopotamia c. 8,000 BCE through the early Middle Ages in Europe c. 1,000 CE. Volume 2: from the early Middle Ages to the French Revolution in 1789 CE. Volume 3: from the Napoleonic era to the recent past.
2016 – World History Textbooks Online
World History 1: Cultures, States, and Societies to 1500
Berger, Eugene
University of North Georgia 2016
Offers a comprehensive introduction to the history of humankind from prehistory to 1500.
AP World History 2017
Martin, Peggy J.
McGraw Hill Education 2016
Study Guide for the Advanced Placement World History Examination.
Traditions & Encounters: A Brief Global History
Bentley, Jerry H. et al
McGraw Hill Education 2016
World History Textbook McGraw Hill PDF.
2015 – Global History Textbooks PDF
How History is Made: A Student’s Guide to Reading, Writing, and Thinking in the Discipline
Cole, Stephanie, et al
Mavs Open Press 2015
Learn what it means to think like an historian! Units on “Thinking Historically,” “Reading Historically,” “Researching Historically,” and “Writing Historically” describe the essential skills of the discipline of history. “Performing Historically” offers advice on presenting research findings and describes some careers open to those with an academic training in history.
Western Civilization (2015)
Author: Spielvogel, Jackson J.
Publisher: CENGAGE
9th edition of Western Civilization. Ancient history to the Present.
Understanding World Societies (Vols 1 & 2)
McKay, John P. et al
Bedford/St. Martin’s 2015
Beford/St. Martin’s Earliest Human Societies to the Present.
Barron’s SAT Subject Test World History
Melega, William V.
Barron’s 2015
Test preparation guide for the SAT examination in World History.
Panorama: A World History
Dunn, Ross E. and Mitchell, Laura J.
McGraw-Hill Education 2015
McGraw Hill pdf.
2013 – Global History Textbooks PDF
Understanding World Societies: A Brief History
McKay, John P. et al
Bedford/St. Martin’s 2013
Bedford/St. Martin’s history book.
Cambridge IGCSE Modern World History : Option B: The 20th Century
Walsh, Ben
Cambridge University 2013
Cambridge modern world.
Western Civilization 1 (HIST 116)
Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges
Open Course Library 2013
This course covers the period from early civilized man to the early Middle Ages of Europe, with emphasis on Greece, Rome, Egypt and other Mediterranean peoples.
2012 & Before – Holt McDougal, Prentice Hall, Pearson
The Human Journey: A Concise Introduction to World History (Vol 2)
Reilly, Kevin
Rowman & Littlefield 2012
Vol 2: 1450 to Present.
World History: Patterns of Interaction
Beck, Roger B. et al
Holt McDougal 2012
HMH World History for High School.
World History, Part 1
Ellis, Elisabeth Gaynor and Esler, Anthony
Pearson Prentice Hall 2011
Part 1 covers to 1800. Prentice Hall World History Text for High School.
Topics – World History Textbooks PDF – Western Civilization Books PDF
Click on any topic to find dozens, or even hundreds, of related books at Internet Archive (archive.org). Publication dates range from 1800s to 2024. Download pre-1930 books, and register at Internet Archive for free to read modern books online.
Open Access World History and Geography Books and Textbooks PDF Free Download
The Open Access books and other materials below are modern works made freely available online by universities, academic publishers, the Library of Congress, and other organizations. Many reflect current scholarship and research.
Some works may only be read online, but many can also be downloaded as PDF or EPUB files.
Related Pages on Century Past
See our Century Past directories for hundreds of webpages of Books; Magazines; Articles, maps, & photos; and Newspapers. You’ll find the same directories on the top Menu. Here are a few suggested pages: