Looking at the historical perspective when reading something can completely change the readers point of view. It also makes what the author is saying much more clear. The content of the writing is not only easier to understand with background knowledge but it also makes what is being read more interesting. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "The World House" is about many things that were going on in the world at that time in history. MLK mentions technology, peace, equality, and other factors that were shaping the world during an era of technological advances, and struggles for peace and equality, and the issue of poverty as well.

Martin Luther King Jr. refers to many different technological advances in "The world House". He mentions the invention of the light bulb, the airplane, Einstein's scientific discoveries, radios, telephones, motion pictures, and so on. He says "The world of today is vastly different from the world of just one hundred years ago" referring to all of these inventions and accommodations that have been made over the last hundred years (King 284). During the civil rights movement which Martin Luther King Jr. was speaking in support of at this time, the space race was taking place which is a time in history when the United States and many other countries were making drastic discoveries as far as science and technology. The space race was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union that took place from 1957 to 1975. The Soviet Union made four attempts at landing on the moon but never succeeded. The United States made it to the moon successfully ultimately winning the space race. During this era of discovery, the world was changed forever. Martin Luther King Jr. also mentions the "terrifying" weapons being developed.  Both the invention of weapons and rockets that could enter space and eventually land on the moon were huge examples of technological improvements being made during the time of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "The world House".

Peace was a big issue during the time of civil rights. Martin Luther King Jr. believed in getting change only by peaceful actions while other groups of people believed the opposite. During the civil rights movement groups such as the KKK and the Black Panther Party for example, disturbed the peace throughout all of America. The KKK was a white supremacy group that terrorized African American people. During the civil rights movement, the Ku Klux Klan would bomb black schools and churches as an act of terrorism against African Americans. They used violence against both black and white activists as well. The KKK did whatever they could to preserve segregation and prevent the civil rights movement. The Black Panther party also created trouble during the civil rights movement. The party wanted to accomplish the same things as Martin Luther King Jr. but they believed his non-violence campaign was not getting anything done for the civil rights of African Americans. Basically the Black Panther Party stood for violence throughout the civil rights movement. The FBI did whatever they could to stop the Black Panther Party's plans before they took action.

Equality was the base of any issue in the United States at this time given that the civil rights movement was in place. African Americans had been given their rights and segregation was made illegal but they were still not being treated equal among white Americans. Schools, bathrooms, water fountains, and so on were still segregated even though it was against the law. White store and restaurant owners would not like African Americans to come into their stores or restaurants and there was nothing they could do about it. That were treated unfairly and felt something needed to be done. This is where the civil rights movement starts up. There were riots and marches all over America to get the point across. Speakers such as Martin Luther King Jr. gave speeches that would attract thousands and thousands of listeners.  

Poverty always has been and always will be an issue not only in America but all over the world. MLK said "There is nothing new about poverty. What is new, however, is that we now have the resources to get rid of it." (King 290). He goes on to question why poverty is even an issue now that man has the resources to change the way poverty effects our world. He says "Why should there be hunger and privation in any land, in any city, at any table, when man has the resources and the scientific know-how to provide all mankind with the basic necessities of life?" (King 290).  King suggests that the richer countries use their wealth to develop the poor countries and provide them with schools and basic necessities that are often taken for granted.  He describes this suggestion as an "all-out world war against poverty" (King 290). 

During the time that "The World House" was written any publish there were many different things going on in the world, especially in America. Of course there was the civil rights movement which is usually mainly associated the Martin Luther King Jr. but to understand the point that he is trying to make the reader must look into the background. It must be understood all of the battles that were being fought during this time in history for the reader to understand that Martin Luther King Jr. was referring to all the advances and issues in the world for the reader to see that everyone should be getting along, everyone should be treated fairly, because we are all on this earth together and nothing can be done to change that. 

