The Story of Mankind

The Story of Mankind is a children's book by Dutch-American author Hendrik Willem van Loon. Originally published in 1921, the book consists of brief chapters that explore the history of Western civilisation. Beginning with primitive man, the author takes us through the major developments such as writing, art, and architecture, as well as the rise of the major religions and the formation of the modern states. In the book, Van Loon explains how he used the question: 'Did the person or event in question perform an act without which the entire history of civilization would have been different?' to select what and what not to include. The Story of Mankind was awarded the 1922 Newbery Medal for an outstanding contribution to children's literature.