Why Is Eurasia Wrong

“The mother of the world has been killed,” stated a 5th century historian, bereft and appalled when the news of Rome’s fall had reached ear. Certainly his words hold truth, for Rome - the dauntingly colossal Empire engulfing the Mediterranean and all territories around it; the source of artistic, intellectual, and cultural ascendancy; the influential factor of brilliance in so many of the coexisting societies of the western world - was truly the predecessor and creator of all Western Civilization to come. However, what no one knew, was that the lasting impression this powerful and astonishing civilization would make upon the world, even if only through the works of fleeting memory or written text. As always, with loss

In the novel, 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created, Charles C. Mann enlightens and captures how Columbus’s expeditions united the lands of Eurasia and America. It is a well-written and informational book that successfully displays much of the development and foundation of our present all from the European discovery of the new world. Charles C. Mann’s main objective with this book was to extend on the geographer, Alfred W Crosby’s explanation of “Ecological Imperialism.”

Over five hundred years ago, the world was holding its breath as a man stood on the shores of what, he thought, were the West Indies. He had sailed with the hope of acquiring riches and fame from Asia, but instead, was met with an island full of lush, green vegetation. This island was nothing like the cosmopolitan cities of Asia, with prospering trade and opportunities for the aspiring merchant. His calculations had been wrong and now he was in new territory that was not on any map. What this man had “discovered” was a diamond in the rough and would launch a period of globalization like never before. This Italian merchant’s name would be documented in the history books centuries after his death and the process of trade he initiated between Europe, Africa, and the Americas would come to bare his name: the Columbian Exchange. The impact that this exchanged had on the world would resonate for years after as new ideas, cultures, technologies, and diseases got shared. Not one civilization was spared and the changes that ensued were numerous. The Columbian Exchange would throw an active light on Europe on the global stage and devastate previously thriving native populations, but perhaps most prominent, it increased emphasis in the differences and importance of races.

In his essay, In defense of the Indians, Bartolome de las Casas draws few parallels between the Roman Empire’s conquest of Spain and the Spanish conquest of the Americas. First, Casas points out that the Romans referred to the Spaniards as barbaric and wild, while the Spanish also referred to the Indians as barbaric and stupid. Second, both the Romans and the Spanish thought of themselves as superior compared to the other side. Due to their superior feeling, as both the Romans and Spanish conquer, they thought that they are freeing the barbarians from barbarism, where they thought they are improving the living standards of the barbarians. But in reality, the barbarians in both cases were enslaved, and not only were the Spaniards and Indians

The discovery of America is all because of the indirect effect from the Crusades. The sacking of Constantinople (1204), which was a result from the Fouth Crusade, resulted in the fatal weakening of the Byzantine Empire from the capture and pillage of the Christian bastion. In order to give the Europeans incentive and desire to go exploring, the Crusades helped weaken the Byzantine Empire, who's eventual collapse made access to Asian spices more difficult. Because of this obstruction, this therefore motivated Europeans to find other ways to get to Asia. This pursuit and search of such trade routes lead to the “discovery” of the New World by Columbus. With the disintegration of the Silk Road as well as the fall of the Byzantium to the Otttoman Turks and the collapse of the Mongol Empire to the East, Europe’s access to China and the far East was hopelessly lost.Another indirect impact of the discovery of America is knowledge advancement. As a consequence of the crusader contact with Islamic civilizations of the Middle East, Europeans of the Dark Age were again introduced to cultural, scientific and mathematical advances. With access blocked to products such as spices and fine

Before contact with the America’s many European countries were battling to have the most pristine country of all. Europe at this time was struggling with population loss from the Black Death and famine. Meanwhile the Native Americans, who were thought to be primitive and underdeveloped, inhabited the Americas. This need for the best empire started the Age of Exploration and soon the French, the Spanish, and the British all had control of parts of the New World giving us the nickname The Melting Pot.

Although the United States modernized its technologies, it was not as advanced as France. Germany faltered, though, allowing the Americans to get by with what they had. The American doctrine had been to “rely on the rifle as the principle weapon.” The Americans continued to abide by this and went on modernizing the guns. This is also when the Americans decided to utilize the Tank Corps more. These advancements hurt the economy ultimately.[xi]

The world’s history had a turning point in the fifteenth century. The oceans were no longer an obstacle as previously seen to reach beyond. The Europeans felt inferior to the power and wealth of the Islamic world and saw the possibility to claim power and richness by conquering the oceans. During the 15th century and the 16th century Europeans established colonies in the Americas, the so called “New World”. When Europeans arrived in the Americas, most did not even consider that the peoples they encountered had cultural and religious traditions that were different from their own; most believed indigenous communities had no culture or religion at all.

Five hundred years ago, European explorers landed in North America. After trying to locate a new route to Asia across the Atlantic Ocean, they found a continent they did not know existed. Three different groups traveled to the New World, starting in 1584 (Basu, Tanya). The last group included Gov. John White, he had to return to England to submit his report to the Queen. John White tried several times to return to Virginia, but it wasn’t until a few years later he was finally able to return to his new home. In 1584, when White was finally able to return, the land was barren and deserted of people. This baffling revelation began one of the greatest mysteries of all time.

Peter Mancall opens with Columbus, who received funding from the Spanish crown in order to explore the Americas. He claimed the new land he found for Spain, and his voyage represented the competition between European powers. These leading powers needed to stay ahead of each other, and had to be careful not to anger the Catholic Church. Europe was split into multiple provinces over effective “nation-states”, and everyone was competing with each other. Europeans also attempted to overtake Jerusalem in the thirteenth century, and were able to trade with Middle Easterners and raid other places on their way. In 1492 Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain took back Iberia, and in 1493 Pope Alexander VI gave Spain the Bull of Donation, allowing them to colonize the Americas. This led to the Treaty of Tordesillas, which split the world in half between Portugal and Spain, giving each side one of the halves. Conquistadors from Spain overran the Aztecs and Incas, and explored the southwest. They found gold and silver, but also destroyed ancient cultures in the process. France in the 1500s sent Jacques Cartier to explore; he went through the St.Lawrence Valley and took part of Canada for France. In 1608 Samuel Champlain founded Quebec. In 1609 Henry Hudson (English) failed to find the Northwest Passage, but sailed up a river, now named after him. The Dutch soon laid claim to the area and titled in New Netherland. England also searched for the Northwest Passage,

In the 1600’s, confrontation between the American Indians and the European colonist led into egregious action to expand the prosperity and welfare for one’s self. Rapid tension among the two groups in the area of New York, New France, and New England led into countless wars. All European nations traveled to North America hoping to spread Christianity and have a favorable balance of trade in which is referred to as mercantilism. Each nation trying to establish dominance gaining colonies and treated the natives Indians contemptuously. At the end the Europeans were cruel and bitter toward the American Indians that brought atrocious relationship among them. The European nations traveling across the Atlantic oceans to the North America to bring

“The settlement of the Western Hemisphere by native peoples and the ‘discovery’ of the ‘Americas’ by Europeans were actually parts of the same human impulse; the need to explore and discover what lies over the horizon. In that sense they are more similar than different.” This is a valid statement applicable to both the Native Americans and the Europeans. The first people to live in the Western Hemisphere are believed to have migrated from Asia. These Native American people now living in America had traveled in hunter gatherer groups, often following after animals to keep a steady food source. Yet, the Native Americans also had a drive to continue exploring the vast land on which they were living. The farther they journeyed the more they

The year was 1492, and a European catholic man determined to find a new trade route to the Asian continents accidently discovers the American continent, by doing so he introduces the old world to the new. I’m speaking of course of Christopher Columbus, the great explore. Little did he know that he would spark a fire of exploration and conquest. Fueled by greed and of lavish stories told about cities of gold. The Conquistadors of Spain would come in ships by the hundreds, roaming and pillaging the new lands of South America. As the conquistadors moved further north they discover a very hostile and beautiful land later called “Texas”. Years later, the French come to Texas and so do the Anglos which derived of Germans, Irish and

Rome is known for its’ empire (The Roman Empire). Rome started out small and ended up becoming this huge and undefeatable force of nature. Rome received their success by either attacking other nearby towns/neighbors or granting them treaties or citizenships. E. Badien, the author who created an article called, The Organization Of Italy, explains how Rome organized Italy, and got their neighboring cities and nations to join them and turn ancient Italy into a leading state of power. In Badien’s observations, he finds that granting citizenship and the Latin’s helped Rome to become powerful and assisting Italy to be more structured.

The Americas were conquered not discovered. Although Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas, the continent was already inhabited by its indigenous people. Once Europe realized