**章　給國人永久的智慧和奮斗精神——史前的文明 ······························ 1
第二章　斷裂與繼承——夏商西周奴隸制國家 ·········································· 4
第三章　古代文明的燦爛——春秋戰國時代 ············································ 16
第四章　文明的直接后果——秦漢大帝國的誕生 ······································ 32
第五章　文景之治——漢初與民休息 ····················································· 43
第六章 雄居東方——武帝時漢帝國的鼎盛 ·············································· 48
第七章　北擊匈奴——漢武帝的反入侵戰爭 ············································ 57
第八章　絲路開通——漢帝國與西方各國的經濟文化交流 ·························· 64
第九章　歷史的轉彎處——說說王莽 ····················································· 69
第十章　豪族腐朽的政權——東漢 ························································ 81
第十一章　數百年亂世——三國兩晉南北朝 ············································ 92
第十二章　“偉大的暴君”——隋煬帝 ················································ 104
第十三章　世界文化的中心——大唐帝國 ············································· 113
第十四章　富裕而文弱的——宋王朝 ··················································· 137
第十五章　蒙古人在中國——元王朝 ··················································· 159
第十六章　腐敗而荒唐的——明王朝 ··················································· 171