1. The Grand Tour: Europe
• Wanted Asian wealth.
• Enjoyed delicacies of Chinese and Japanese
trade and inventions.
• Asians thought
Europe barbaric.
• Had to go to Asia,
not vice versa.

2. The Great Traditions
• Four major forms of civilization
– Islam (“gunpowder empires”)
– Hindu (caste structure)
– China (familial form
of governmental organization)
– Europe (feudal kingdoms)

3. The Staff of Life
• Food scarcity under multiplying populations
• Yield per seed was very low; turned Europeans
aggressive
• Europe always discontent
• Reliable irrigation
– (new technology)

4. The Grand Tour: China and Japan
• China richest, most powerful empire
• Paper, gunpowder and compass made in
China
• China and Japan wealthy
• Chinese silk