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The ''Western world'', also known as ''the West'' and the '''Occident''' (from [[Latin]]: occidens "sunset, west"; as contrasted with the [[Orient]]), is a term that can have multiple [[meanings]] depending on its [[context]] (e.g., the time period, the region or [[social]] situation). Accordingly, the basic definition of what constitutes "the West" varies, expanding and contracting over time, in relation to various historical circumstances. [[Ideally]], each nation as it exists today should determine if they are a part of this [[classification]] instead of this being judged by outside [[individuals]]. Each nation has distinct peoples, languages, and influences.

The ''Western world'', also known as ''the West'' and the '''Occident''' (from [[Latin]]: occidens "sunset, west"; as contrasted with the [[Orient]]), is a term that can have multiple [[meanings]] depending on its [[context]] (e.g., the time period, the region or [[social]] situation). Accordingly, the basic definition of what constitutes "the West" varies, expanding and contracting over time, in relation to various historical circumstances. [[Ideally]], each nation as it exists today should determine if they are a part of this [[classification]] instead of this being judged by outside [[individuals]]. Each nation has distinct peoples, languages, and influences.

The [[concept]] of the Western world has its [[roots]] in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Roman_civilization Greco-Roman civilization] in Europe, the [[advent]] of [[Christianity]], and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Schism Great Schism] in the 11th Century which divided the religion into Eastern and Western halves. In the [[modern]] era, Western culture has been heavily influenced by the [[traditions]] of The [[Renaissance]] and [[The Enlightenment]], and shaped by expansive [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonialism colonialism] in the 18th-19th Century. Its political usage was temporarily informed by [[mutual]] antagonism with the Soviet bloc during the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_War Cold War] in the mid to late 20th Century. In the contemporary political and cultural context, the Western World generally refers to the nations of the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, and South Africa.

The [[concept]] of the Western world has its [[roots]] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Roman_civilization Greco-Roman civilization] in Europe, the [[advent]] of [[Christianity]], and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Schism Great Schism] in the 11th Century which divided the religion into Eastern and Western halves. In the [[modern]] era, Western culture has been heavily influenced by the [[traditions]] of The [[Renaissance]] and [[The Enlightenment]], and shaped by expansive [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonialism colonialism] in the 18th-19th Century. Its political usage was temporarily informed by [[mutual]] antagonism with the Soviet bloc during the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_War Cold War] in the mid to late 20th Century. In the contemporary political and cultural context, the Western World generally refers to the nations of the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, and South Africa.

The [[consensus]] is that the West originated with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greece ancient Greece] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Rome ancient Rome]. Over time, their associated [[empires]] grew first to the east and south, conquering and absorbing many older great [[civilizations]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Near_East ancient Near East]; later, they grew to the north and west to include Western Europe.

The [[consensus]] is that the West originated with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greece ancient Greece] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Rome ancient Rome]. Over time, their associated [[empires]] grew first to the east and south, conquering and absorbing many older great [[civilizations]] of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Near_East ancient Near East]; later, they grew to the north and west to include Western Europe.

Other historians, such as Carroll Quigley (Evolution of Civilizations), contend that ''Western Civilization'' was born around 400 AD, after the total collapse of the Western [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire Roman Empire], leaving a [[vacuum]] for new [[ideas]] to flourish that were impossible in Classical societies. In either view, between the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the [[Renaissance]], the West experienced a period of considerable decline, known as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages Middle Ages], which include the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Ages Dark Ages] and the [[Crusades]].

Other historians, such as Carroll Quigley (Evolution of Civilizations), contend that ''Western Civilization'' was born around 400 AD, after the total collapse of the Western [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire Roman Empire], leaving a [[vacuum]] for new [[ideas]] to flourish that were impossible in Classical societies. In either view, between the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the [[Renaissance]], the West experienced a period of considerable decline, known as the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages Middle Ages], which include the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Ages Dark Ages] and the [[Crusades]].

The [[knowledge]] of the ancient Western world was partly preserved during this period due to the [[survival]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Roman_Empire Eastern Roman Empire]; it was also greatly expanded by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_World Arab World], and mostly by the concurrent ascendency of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age Islamic Golden Age]. The Arab importation of both the Ancient and new technology from the Middle East and the [[Orient]] to Renaissance Europe represented “one of the largest [[technology]] transfers in world history.”[5][6]

The [[knowledge]] of the ancient Western world was partly preserved during this period due to the [[survival]] of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Roman_Empire Eastern Roman Empire]; it was also greatly expanded by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_World Arab World], and mostly by the concurrent ascendency of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age Islamic Golden Age]. The Arab importation of both the Ancient and new technology from the Middle East and the [[Orient]] to Renaissance Europe represented “one of the largest [[technology]] transfers in world history.”[5][6]

Since the [[Renaissance]], the West evolved beyond the [[influence]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greece ancient Greeks] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Rome Romans] and the Islamic world due to the Commercial, Scientific, and Industrial Revolutions, and the expansion of the Christian peoples of Western European empires, and particularly the globe-spanning empires of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Since the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Discovery Age of Discovery] and Columbus, the notion of the West expanded to include the [[America]]s, though much of the Americas have considerable pre-Western cultural influence. Australia, New Zealand and most countries of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_America Latin America] are considered part of Western culture due to their former status as settler colonies of Western Christian nations. Generally speaking, the current [[consensus]] would locate the West, at the very least, in the [[cultures]] and peoples of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe Europe], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America North America] (namely Canada, U.S., and Mexico), [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia Australia], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand New Zealand] and most countries in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_America South America]. There is debate among some as to whether Eastern Europe is in a category of its own. Culturally Eastern Europe is usually more or less accepted into the 'West', mainly because of its geographic location in what is mostly Europe (and cultural ties). However, it does not fill the traditional economic and living-standard criteria typically associated with "The West".[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occident]

Since the [[Renaissance]], the West evolved beyond the [[influence]] of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greece ancient Greeks] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Rome Romans] and the Islamic world due to the Commercial, Scientific, and Industrial Revolutions, and the expansion of the Christian peoples of Western European empires, and particularly the globe-spanning empires of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Since the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Discovery Age of Discovery] and Columbus, the notion of the West expanded to include the [[America]]s, though much of the Americas have considerable pre-Western cultural influence. Australia, New Zealand and most countries of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_America Latin America] are considered part of Western culture due to their former status as settler colonies of Western Christian nations. Generally speaking, the current [[consensus]] would locate the West, at the very least, in the [[cultures]] and peoples of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe Europe], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America North America] (namely Canada, U.S., and Mexico), [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia Australia], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand New Zealand] and most countries in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_America South America]. There is debate among some as to whether Eastern Europe is in a category of its own. Culturally Eastern Europe is usually more or less accepted into the 'West', mainly because of its geographic location in what is mostly Europe (and cultural ties). However, it does not fill the traditional economic and living-standard criteria typically associated with "The West".[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occident]

[[Category: General Reference]]

[[Category: General Reference]]