Readable and concise, this Brief Edition of THE EARTH AND ITS PEOPLES: A GLOBAL HISTORY VOLUME II provides the essential narrative of world history in an abbreviated format. This global text for the world history survey course employs fundamental themes of �environment and technology� and �diversity and dominance� to explore patterns of human interaction with their surroundings and with each other. The authors� approach reveals how humanity continues to shape and be shaped by our environments and how dominant structures and traditions are balanced and challenged by alternate beliefs.