The primary goal of World Civilizations is to present a truly global history since the development of agriculture and herding to the present. Using a unique periodization, this book divides the main periods of human history according to changes in the nature and extent of global contacts. The primary goal of World Civilizations is to present a truly global history since the development of agriculture and herding to the present. Overview of World History. Readers interested in the history and development of civilization worldwide.