The Mystery of History Volume IV: Wars of Independence to Modern Times – Textbook

Volume IV, in the words of the author:

Volume IV, the last and final volume of this world history series, spans three pressure-filled centuries from 1708 to 2014. Starting with Bach and Handel, two of four major composers included in Volume IV, the time period will hear music soar to new heights, and observe numerous “wars of independence.”

• From the American colonies,
• the heart of Mexico,
• the goldmines of Australia,
• the mountaintops of South America,
• the shores of Greece,
• and the walls of the Alamo . . .

. . . we will find mankind desperately striving for liberty and freedom through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Most of the time, he will achieve it – but seldom without heartache, revolution, and bloodshed!

On a less tangible battlefield, we will also see in this volume several “wars of ideologies” meaning that we will see the world “take sides” behind invisible lines on their views toward Marxism, Darwinism, Fascism, and the Cold War. Of course, before we get to the Cold War, we will see nations catapulted into two painful World Wars in the twentieth century with the rise of

• Lenin,
• Mussolini,
• Stalin,
• Hitler,
• and Emperor Hirohito.

Unfortunately, the stories of these notorious dictators will require a deep, pensive look at the Gulag system in the Soviet Union, the Holocaust in Europe, and the atomic bombs dropped on Japan. All are difficult topics that need to be examined to learn valuable lessons from history! Some lessons are still being learned, as we will also look at modern man’s struggle with a collapsed Soviet Union, a divided Korea, tension in the Middle East, and an ongoing War on Terror.

Yet, as violent as parts of this volume will be (and which will require screening for young students), we will take time to meet the artists, inventors, writers, and humanitarians who contributed toward the “soul” of mankind over the last three centuries. And, we will join the missionaries and adventurers who journeyed to inland China, the wilds of Africa, the South Pole, and the gray, speckled surface of the moon. I watched the first moon walk when I was a kid, and so this volume has encroached upon my own personal timeline, as it will yours to make recent historical events that much more meaningful.

American history? While a great deal of American history will be included in Volume IV (such as the American Revolution, the War Between the States, the War in Vietnam, the Civil Rights movement, and more) this volume will not necessarily replace American history for those students seeking to fill a requirement. My hope is that American students will see U.S. history in a broader, more relevant manner when it is woven into the fabric of world history events. Can you use this volume to dovetail American history? Absolutely, but I kept this book a world history text for the sake of all my readers, here and abroad.

The last and final chapter of The Mystery of History series will look at what is to come, as outlined in the Book of Revelation. This final peek at “end times” will not follow any single view of eschatology, but it will take students to the final chapters of Revelation, where we are given a profound picture of a new heaven and a new earth. That my friend, is the hope of the “mystery” of history – that there is an eternal plan for believers, revealed through Scripture and delivered by the atoning blood of Christ.

One convenient purchase! Like Volume I (Third Edition) and Volume III, the stories of Volume IV are contained in a colorful, hardback Student Reader. With the purchase of the Student Reader, you also receive a download code for our digital Companion Guide (loaded with pretests, activities, quizzes, timeline directions, mapping exercises, and literature suggestions.) You can print what you want, when you want, for all ages!

This curriculum is for all ages, but for specific guidance, please click to “Teaching All Ages” for ideas on catering The Mystery of History to your students. And, as stated before, this volume (which is more difficult in content) will require screening for Younger and/or sensitive students!

Download free samples:

 Volume IV Table of Contents

Volume IV Student Reader Lessons Sample

 Volume IV Companion Guide Sample “Week at a Glance”