The Earth and Its Peoples was one of the first texts to present world history in a balanced, global framework, shifting the focus away from political centers of power. This truly global text for the world history survey course employs a fundamental theme--the interaction of human beings and the environment--to compare different times, places, and societies. Special emphasis is given to technology (in its broadest sense) and how technological development underlies all human activity. Highly acclaimed in their fields of study, the authors bring a wide array of expertise to the program. A combination of strong scholarship and detailed pedagogy gives the book its reputation for rigor and student accessibility. The Fourth Edition features extensive new coverage of world events, including globalization in the new millennium. Coverage of China has also been extensively reorganized and rewritten.