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World history, being the accumulated record of past human experience, might consist of a large collection of personal biographies in the form of books, letters, notes, photographs, and other effects. Each person who has ever lived had a story to tell. If history were the sum total of all such stories, world history would not be contained in books but in large warehouses or computer files. Such a massive amount of information would make this history quite inaccessible. No one would have time to review more than a tiny part of it. Traditionally, history has never been a narrative of peoples lives but of important peoples lives. Some persons are more prone to being historical figures than others. To be lifted to that plane, one needs a device of personal magnification. Government office has placed certain individuals in positions of authority over others. The early histories were, therefore, chronologies of royal dynasties. Democracy has broadened the cast of historical characters. Besides kings and prime ministers, historians now record the lives of philosophers, saints, writers, scientists, entertainers, and other public figures.
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