Summary: Chapter2 (Short version)
Page 1: Indians Still Living in the Stone Age
Stone-age human migrate through Alaska into America, while Europe and China develop roughly equivalent civilizations, which contain the bulk of world population
Page 2: Rebuilding Trade Networks
After the Roman collapse, Europeans struggle through the Dark Ages, but eventually restore a functioning trading system
Page 3: Medieval Trade
European businessmen hold open-air trade fairs in France, where goods arrive via Italian and Arab trade routes, and the Silk Road connection to China
Page 4: Invaders and Fortifications
Europe is ravaged by both internal conflict, and occasional outside invaders, like the Mongols, which breeds a fortress mentality that seeks safety behind walls
Page 5: Muslims Catholics and Cathedrals
Catholic Europe fends off Muslim invaders from the south to rebuild a robust civilization, including magnificent cathedrals reflecting great wealth
Page 6: Armored Knights and Cannons
Armored knights face off masses of archers, while cannons transform siege warfare by reducing the protection of walls
Page 7: Europe Consumed by Conflict
Throughout the entire medieval period, Europe is a chaos of warfare, with shifting alliances pitting all against all
Page 8: Oceanic Exploration
With Muslims blocking access to high-profit trade items, bold European mariners explore new routes to the Far East, and Spice Islands, while Columbus sails west
Page 9: Hunting for Riches
The Spanish find gold in Mexico and silver in Peru, while the English struggle to find anything of value in their North America colonies
Page 10: 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 11: Indians Still Living in the Stone Age
At the time that European explorers first make contact, American Indians lack almost all modern technology