A Preface to History Author:Carl Gustavson This brilliant introduction to the story of mankind analyzes the glue that creates history out of unrelated facts. Professor Gustavson uses events to illustrate the nature of social forces, the complexity of causation and the interdependence of change and continuity. In the manner of social scientists, he moves from the particular to the genera... more »l - from the institution of monarchy to consideration of royalty as a binding force; from descriptions of major inventions to the significance of technological change through history. Chapters follow the course of Western History from the Middle Ages to the present so that the reader learns to think "historically."« less