V.1. The ancient world / David Matz, volume editor. Part I. Historical overview. Sumeria -- China -- India -- Egypt -- Israel -- Greece -- Rome -- Part II. Domestic life. Families and households -- Old age and retirement -- Travel -- Making a living -- Part III. Economic life. Urban life -- Rural life -- Slavery -- Trade and commerce -- Part IV. Intellectual life. Education -- Respect for writing, language, and literature -- Health and medicine -- Oratory -- Part V. Material life. Food and drink -- Houses and furniture -- Clothing -- Part VI. Political life. Government -- Justice and legal system -- Warfare -- Part VII. Recreational life. Sports and games -- Fishing and hunting -- Vacations, celebrations, and festivals -- Part VIII. Religious life. Deities -- Priests and religious rituals -- Death and the afterlife.

V.2. The Middle Ages and Renaissance / Lawrence Morris, volume editor. Part I. Historical overview. The early middle ages (410-1066) -- The later middle ages (c. 1066-1492) -- The Renaissance and early modern era (1492-1660) -- Part II. Domestic life. Life cycles -- Women's roles -- Children -- Part III. Economic life. Urban life -- Rural life -- Trade and monetary systems -- Slavery -- Part IV. Intellectual life. Education -- Science and medicine -- Language and literature -- Part V. Material life. Food and drink -- Housing and furniture -- Clothing and personal appearance -- Part VI. Political life. Government and hierarchy -- Legal systems -- Warfare -- Part VII. Recreational life. Games and sports -- Performing arts -- Visual arts -- Part VIII. Religious life. Deities and doctrines -- Priests and rituals -- Death and the afterlife.

V.3. The modern world / David M. Borgmeyer and Rebecca Ayako Bennette, volume editors. Part I. Historical overview. The eighteenth century, 1700-1815 -- The nineteenth century, 1915-1914 -- The twentieth and twenty first centuries, 1914-present -- Part II. Domestic life. Women's roles -- Children -- Old age -- Part III. Economic life. Urban life -- Rural life -- Trade and migration -- Part IV. Intellectual life. Education -- Science -- Health and medicine -- Language and literature -- Art -- Part V. Material life. Food and drink -- Houses and furniture -- Clothing and personal appearance -- Technology -- Part VI. Political life. Social hierarchy -- Government -- Justice and legal systems -- Warfare -- Part VII. Recreational life. Games and sports -- Travel -- Music and dance -- Part VIII. Religious life. Religions in contact -- Forms of worship -- Systems of belief -- Death and the afterlife.