How and why did Europeans come to explore, conquer, and eventually colonize the New World?  Why didn’t other empires do the same? Compare the motives and reach of Chinese and European maritime explorations in the fifteenth century.

How was European imperial expansion related to the spread of Christianity?

In what ways did religious changes in Asia and the Middle East parallel those of Europe, and in what ways were they different?

Consider global economic and commercial trends in the period from 1450-1750. To what extend did Europeans transform earlier patterns of commerce and trade, and in what ways did Europeans assimilate into older, existing patterns? Be sure to discuss more than just the Atlantic world in your essay.

Argue what was so revolutionary about the Scientific Revolution.  In your answer, discuss earlier assumptions of science and cosmology, the role of individual intellectuals and scientists and their ideas, and the impact of these ideas on the broader society in Europe (and globally), especially during the Enlightenment.

Compare and contrast the development of two major Empires we have studied (at least one must be outside of Western Europe). Be sure to address such topics as: the motivations for their expansion (where applicable), political, social/cultural, and religious developments, any problems they encountered, and the ways they attempted to address these problems. What were the consequences for both the people of the Empire and the peoples in the regions to which they spread?