History: an overview of major events and periods

History Book video presents a historical analysis of American and world history, where chronological timeline are based on significant and crucial events that have affected and influenced the historiography not only of human society in general, but American society as well. The documentary is divided into six major divisions, which illustrates the major developments of human history, and are abstractly, but aptly titled according to its relevance to human society.

An analysis of the documentary shows that there are two prevailing themes in which history was depicted, which are all thematic or theme-based in categorization. The first prevailing theme is that world history is connected largely with American society, interspersing significant events in America along with the discussion of significant events around the world. The second theme, which is the main focus of the documentary, is the discussion of history into three main components: social, political, and economic developments in human society. However, these three main components focus largely on the history of destruction and world domination. In effect, The History Book provides a critical analysis of human history, deviating from the functionalist-constructivist format often followed by history books.

The first theme highlights how the dynamics of American history is largely motivated by world history and conversely, world history has, in most part, has influenced the events that happened in American society throughout its history. This is evident in the order of themes within the documentary, wherein world history-related events are categorized under the following titles: "A Flickering Light in the Darkness," A Bright Future, for Some," "Triumphant Symphony," and "The Coming of Darkness." American history, on the other hand, is best discussed and centered on with the segments, "At Dawn, Overcoming all Difficulties," "Bloody Schemes," and "Makeshift Solutions."

Apart from the placing of segments of the documentary into two divisions, another theme that emerges from within these segments is the dynamic nature of human society in terms of social, political, and economic development.

Social development is depicted by tracing the origins of social organizations in history. However, instead of initially beginning with the history of society during the nomadic and agricultural stages, The History Book begins at the medieval period, where the feudal system is at its prime development. The choice for the medieval stage as the first stage of social organization in human society already establishes the critical view of the documentary. Because feudalism mainly centers on issues of division of labor and class rule, which are issues of inequality, then medieval period provides an avenue for historians of conflict theory to state their stance: class rule and inequality during the period is also characterized by exploitation (through rent), violence by the ruling class, and thought control by religious leaders (Christianity as the dominant religion). This trend of oppressor-oppressed worsened with the emergence of industrial society, which gave birth to capitalism, widening the gap between the ruling class elite and working middle classes.

Similarly, social developments in human society determine the kind of political and economic organizations that exist in human society. Economic developments are inevitably tied with the kind of society existing during the period; thus, as illustrated in "Triumphant Symphony," the emergence of industrialization led to the development of capitalism as the primary economic model. Capitalism has, unfortunately, contributed to the already existing conflict between the elite and working/middle socio-economic classes. Political developments are also directly linked economic and social changes in the society. As is evident in Part 4, "Bloody Schemes," the social development that is the Age of Discovery, which served as the catalyst for colonialism to occur, had flourished alongside mercantilism, which in effect, led to the proliferation of the African slave trade. This "domino effect" shows that social, economic, and political factors are directly linked with each other, affecting one with the other, changing the course of history in the process.