Part One The Origin of Western CultureⅠ．Mesopotamia 1
Ⅱ．Egyptians 3
Ⅲ．Chaldeans 4
Ⅳ．Hebrews 5
Ⅴ．Persians 5
Ⅵ．Notes 6
Part Two Greek Culture 9
Ⅰ．General Introduction 9
Ⅱ．Social and Political Structure 10
Ⅲ．The War between Persians and Greeks 10
Ⅳ．The Achievements of Greeks 11
Ⅴ．Notes 19
Part Three Roman Culture 29
Ⅰ．General Introduction 29
Ⅱ．Roman History 30
Ⅲ．Decline of the Roman Empire 31
Ⅳ．Slaves in Roman Empire 32
Ⅴ．Julius Caesar 32
Ⅵ．Achievements of Romans 34
Ⅶ．Byzantine Empire 35
Ⅷ．Notes 35
Part Four Greek and Roman MythologyⅠ．Greek Mythology 42
Ⅱ．Roman Mythology 44
Ⅲ．Origin of the Gods 46
Ⅳ．Olympian Gods and Goddesses 47
Ⅴ．Some Minor Gods and Heroes 49
Ⅵ．Some Idiomatic Expressions Related to Mythology 56
Ⅶ．Notes 59
Part Five Christianity and Bible 68
Ⅰ．General Introduction 68
Ⅱ．Ancient Hebrews and Christianity 68
Ⅲ．Appearance of the Old Testament 72
Ⅳ．Appearance of the New Testament 73
Ⅴ．Jesus Christ 74
Ⅵ．Rise of Christianity in Roman Empire 75
Ⅶ．Beliefs of Christianity 77
Ⅷ．Biblical Stories 78
Ⅸ．Notes 108
Part Six Middle Ages 117
Ⅰ．General Introduction 117
Ⅱ．Feudalism 118
Ⅲ．Power and Influence of the Church 119
Ⅳ．Crusades 120
Ⅴ．Monasticism and Scholasticism 123
Ⅵ．Knighthood and Code of Chivalry 125
Ⅶ．Literature and Architecture 126
Ⅷ．Notes 127
Part Seven Renaissance and ReformationⅠ．Renaissance 136
Ⅱ．Humanism 137
Ⅲ．Reformation 138
Ⅳ．Counter-Reformation 139
Ⅴ．Martin Luther 139
Ⅵ．John Calvin 140
Ⅶ．Literature and Arts 141
Ⅷ．Age of Encounters 143
Ⅸ．Notes 145
Part Eight Baroque Age 151
Ⅰ．General Introduction 151
Ⅱ．English Revolution 152
Ⅲ．Absolutism in France 155
Ⅳ．Philosophy and Politics 156
Ⅴ．Science 159
Ⅵ．Literature,Arts and Architecture 160
Ⅶ．Notes 162
Part Nine Enlightenment and RevolutionsⅠ．General Introduction 169
Ⅱ．Industrial Revolution 171
Ⅲ．American War of Independence 172
Ⅳ．French Revolution 174
Ⅴ．Philosophy,literature,Art and Music 175
Ⅵ．Notes 178
Part Ten Romanticism and RealismⅠ．Romanticism 185
Ⅱ．Realism 187
Ⅲ．Marxism 191
Ⅳ．Darwinism 193
Ⅴ．Literature,Arts and Music 195
Ⅵ．Notes 200
Part Eleven Modernism 207
Ⅰ．General Introduction 207
Ⅱ．Two World Wars 208
Ⅲ．New Ideas and Thoughts 209
Ⅳ．Literature 212
Ⅴ．Science 215
Ⅵ．Art and Music 216
Ⅶ．Notes 220
Part Twelve Superstition 227
Ⅰ．General Introduction 227
Ⅱ．Numbers 227
Ⅲ．Unlucky Things and Acts 229
Ⅳ．Lucky Things and Acts 230
Ⅴ．Magic,Witchcraft and Ghost 232
Ⅵ．Astrology,Divination,Fortune-telling and Palmistry 236
Ⅶ．Some Other Common Superstitions 242
Ⅷ．Notes 245
Part Thirteen Social Customs 249
Ⅰ．Wedding Customs 249
Ⅱ．Etiquette 257
Ⅲ．Holidays and Festivals 265
Ⅳ．Notes 279