World History
World history from the 18th century for UPSC Mains GS I — revolutions, industrialisation, ideologies, world wars, colonisation, decolonisation and the Cold War.
SyllabusGS I · History of the world — events from the 18th century: industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of boundaries, colonisation, decolonisation, political philosophies
World history is a Mains-only line in GS Paper I, but it is far from optional: questions on the Industrial Revolution, nationalism, the world wars, decolonisation and political philosophies appear regularly, and they reward answers that connect events across countries — and back to India.
This chapter covers the period from the 18th century onwards, in two arcs.
| Arc | Themes |
|---|---|
| Age of revolutions and ideologies | Industrial Revolution; American and French Revolutions; nationalism and the unification of Italy and Germany; liberalism, capitalism, socialism, communism; the Russian Revolution |
| World wars and decolonisation | Imperialism and colonisation; First World War and the peace settlements; the inter-war crisis, fascism and Nazism; Second World War; redrawal of boundaries; the Cold War; decolonisation and the Non-Aligned Movement |
How to study it. UPSC does not ask for dates in isolation; it asks why and with what consequences. Learn causes, turning points and outcomes, and keep a few precise facts (treaties, dates, leaders) ready as value-addition.
Topic pages