The Atlantic World: Europeans, Africans, Indians and their Shared History, 1400–1900

by Thomas Benjamin

From 1400 to 1900 the Atlantic Ocean served as a major highway, allowing people and goods to move easily between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. These interactions and exchanges transformed European, African, and American societies and led to the creation of new peoples, cultures, economies, and ideas throughout the Atlantic arena. The Atlantic World provides a comprehensive and lucid history of one of the most important and impactful cross-cultural encounters in human history. Empires, economies, and trade in the Atlantic world thrived due to the European drive to expand as well as the creative ways in which the peoples living along the Atlantic's borders adapted to that drive. This comprehensive, cohesively written textbook offers a balanced view of the activity in the Atlantic world. The 40 maps, 60 illustrations, and multiple excerpts from primary documents bring the history to life. Each chapter offers a reading list for those interested in a more in-depth look at the period.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

754 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 16, 2009

Reviews

[Andrea Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great text book that I enjoyed digging into the last 5 weeks. Would highly recommend history teachers of any sort to check it out. Great views of things we don't usually focus on in history, yet it all helps make the entire picture so much clearer.

[Daniel Oldham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Formative and well-written with a clear focus on what Atlantic History should be about, and with a wealth of topics and examples to weigh historical examination on matters of culture, trade, and social standing.

[Frankie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good book for learning. Read it for class. I hated how he used the term “Indians” instead of indigenous and how he only spoke about women in terms of how they affected men.

[Mark Joubert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Benjamin excels at writing from a balanced perspective on history that preserves the complexity of historical events while still managing to say something meaningful. Great overview. Very readable.

[Michael Craft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enormous and densely packed with great information and sources.