Summary: Chapter 2
Page 1: Old World meets New World
After spreading from Africa for 300,000 years, humans make it across a land bridge in Alaska to reach America, while advanced civilizations develop in Europe and China
Page 2: Rebuilding Trade Networks
After the Roman collapse, Europeans struggle through the Dark Ages, but eventually restore a functioning trading system
Page 3: Invaders and Trade Disruptions
Europe is ravaged by Mongol Hordes and the Black Death, breeding a fortress mentality that seeks safety behind walls
Page 4: Catholics, Muslims and Indians
Catholic Europe fends off Muslim invaders from the south to rebuild a robust civilization, while indigenous peoples have functioning civilizations in Mexico and Peru
Page 5: Knights, Cannons and Warships
Armored knights face off masses of archers, while cannons transform war on land and sea, leading to the rise of arms merchants
Page 6: Europe Consumed by Conflict
Throughout the entire medieval period, Europe is a chaos of warfare, with shifting alliances pitting all against all
Page 7: Oceanic Exploration
With Muslims blocking access to high-profit trade items, European mariners explore new routes to the Far East, and the Spice Islands
Page 8: Hunting for Riches
The Spanish find gold in Mexico and silver in Peru, while the English and French struggle to find anything of value in their North America colonies
Page 9: Early tribes in America
As Europeans swarm the globe, Indians live a much simpler life, in tribes that span America from Maine to California
Page 10: Indians Live in the Stone Age
At the time that European explorers first make contact, American Indians lack almost all modern technology