Chapter 10 Summary and Analysis

Europe has long played a central role in human activities on Earth. Through exploration, colonialism an emigration, Europe's influence has spanned the globe. During the 20th Century, however, Europe twice sent the world to war. After the Second World War, Europe lost valuable colonies, political influence, and wealth. More recently, Europe's economic recovery and Eastern Europe's rejection of communism has improved the situation for Europe. The continent's current experiment in creating a supernation, the European Union, is by far the most promising and most challenging change in Europe's recent history. The European Union may eventually lead to a united states of Europe, a federal superpower that may challenge US global dominance. This concept, unimaginable only a few years ago, has already made tremendous progress. Travelers can cross national borders without documentation; about a dozen countries share a common currency, the Euro...