Write an essay describing how the Atlantic Ocean

Write an essay describing how the Atlantic Ocean became the center of the major changes that began the modern period in world history, both in terms of European influence through exploration, trade and empire and in terms of new developments that began with that same European society.
Your answer should be in two parts that will be worth equal weight in your grade.
Part I: Describe how European nations reached out and influenced the rest of the world in the period 1500-1750 and began the era of modern globalization. During this period why were the Europeans able to dominate the Atlantic in a way that they were not able to do so in other parts of the world? To answer this question look to Strayer Chapters 13, 14 and parts of chapter 15, as well as relevant passages from the chapters we have read in Reilly.
Part II: Describe the important changes that took place in the Atlantic region as new ideas, culture and politics took shape. How did the Europeans and their off-shoots in the Americas come to differ from other major societies? To answer this part it is best to look at Strayer in chapters 15 and 16, as well as the relevant readings in Reilly.