Before the invention of the steam locomotive - that is, before the 19th century - culture, trade, epidemics and wars spread faster by sea than by land. And if we place our relationship with the oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and canals at the center of the historical concept, then we will see that a significant part of human history depended on whether peoples had access to navigable waters. Shifting the emphasis from land to sea allows us to take a fresh look at many trends and principles of global development. And the author of the book decided to describe maritime history using the example of different regions, consistently showing the process as a result of which different areas of the world became interconnected. This makes it clear how the rise and fall of civilizations can be linked to the sea. After all, the conquest of the water element - for the sake of trade, war, space exploration or resettlement of peoples - has always been the driving force of world history.