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Western world

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

The Parthenon in Athens, Greece, as seen in 1978. This ancient temple is a famous historical landmark.

The Western world, also called the West, is a group of countries and areas mostly found in Europe, Northern America, and Australasia. These places share many ideas, traditions, and ways of living that have changed over time.

People often think of the West as starting with Ancient Greece and Rome. These old cultures helped shape important ideas about philosophy, democracy, science, art, and law. Many countries in the West have a history linked to Christianity, which mixed with Greek and Roman traditions.

Today, nations like Australia and New Zealand are part of the Western world, even though they are far from Europe. They share strong ties to British culture and history. The idea of what the West includes has changed through the years, influenced by many events and developments.

The West is also called the Occident, a word that comes from Latin meaning “west.” It is different from the Eastern world or Orient, which means “east.” Even though the countries in the West are different, they often work together and share similar ways of thinking and doing things.

Images

The Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci shows a human figure perfectly inscribed in a circle and square, illustrating the ideal proportions of the human body.
Historical view of the Roman Forum featuring ancient Roman buildings and arches.
Historical painting showing Christopher Columbus landing in the West Indies in 1492, with crew members and native observers.
A 19th-century painting showing a peaceful garden scene with an angel and a figure in prayer, from a famous biblical story.
Historical map showing famous explorations from the Age of Discovery.
A map showing the extent of the Roman Empire in 117 AD during the reign of Emperor Trajan.
Historical map showing the major invasions of the Roman Empire by various groups from 100 to 500 CE.
A map showing the borders and territories of the Byzantine Empire in the year 1025 AD.
This map shows how Christianity spread across Europe, Southwest Asia, and North Africa by the year AD 600.
A historical map showing the extent of the Frankish Empire in Europe during the Middle Ages.
Map showing the extent of the Byzantine Empire around the year 1180.
Historical map showing the division of the Byzantine Empire into various states after the 4th Crusade in 1204.
A 1529 portrait painting of Martin Luther by Lucas Cranach, showing him in three-quarter view against a blue background.
Map showing how the Roman Empire was split into Western and Eastern parts after the year 395 AD.

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Western world, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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