Another civilization taking over the world.

In the years 1200-1600 AD, the world had set itself up for a Eurocentric future. If only a few things had gone differently, the world as we know it today could have been completely different. It would have been entirely possible for another culture to dominate the world; however several key events led to European domination.

During that four hundred year period of history, each culture had the potential to dominate the globe. The Aztecs were at the height of their civilization and controlled almost all of central Mexico. Given the time they would have been able to push further. China was by far the most advanced civilization in the world, thriving in the grandeur of the Ming Dynasty. They had built a massive "treasure fleet", commanded by Admiral Zheng He, to sail and explore the world and to discover its riches for the glory of China. The Muslim world of the Middle East had held the spot of dominating power for the last 400 hundred years. They spread Islam from the gates of Vienna, all the way down to India and up across Africa and into Spain. If it hadn't been for a few key events that led to European domination, the world could have been a very different place.

In the years 1200-1600 AD, events took place that led to the downfall of the other civilizations and to the rise and establishment of a Eurocentric world. After exploring the world in a fleet of 600ft long ships, China had decided that the world had nothing to offer them and they descended into a period of isolationist and xenophobic attitudes. Because they closed their borders to anything foreign, Europeans were eventually able to catch up and overtake them in terms of technological and cultural advancement. Islam's downfall came at the hands of Genghis Khan's golden horde. The Mongols swept across Asia and into the Middle East destroying everything as they went, including the cultural and intellectual hub, Bagdad. After this Muslim culture became very stagnant and unwilling to accept new ideas and advance. Like with China, Europe was able to catch up and overtake them. The fall of the Aztecs actually came at the hands of the Europeans themselves. The arrival of Spain led to the Aztecs being conquered very quickly. If they had been given more time, the Aztecs would have been able to withstand and repel the Spanish. All these major historical events lined up as to give Europe a chance to begin its path to world domination.

If the Mongols hadn't invaded, the Chinese hadn't become isolationist, or the Aztecs been given more time, the world could have become a completely different place. It is impossible to speculate as to how the world would have been different if something had changed, but our Eurocentric world will not last forever.