Twenty lessons connect knowledge with investigation. Study maps and objects, compare sources, make reasoned decisions, and test what you understand. Regions overlap in time: this is not a story in which one civilization hands history to the next.
How to study: use two or three sessions per lesson. First read and annotate; then investigate and explain; finally test, correct, and revisit. Move on when you can explain the ideas—not merely remember a score. Advanced learners can pursue the deeper questions.
Course scope: a selective introduction, not an exhaustive history of every society.