Why is Asia considered the East and USA & Europe the west?

Answer 1

EASTERN WORLD BASICALLY refers very broadly to the various cultures, social structures and philosophical systems of "the East", namely Asia (including China, India, Japan, and surrounding regions).

Western world or "the West" can have multiple meanings depending on its context. Originally defined as Western Europe, most modern uses of the term refer to the societies of Europe and their close genealogical, linguistic, and philosophical colonial descendants, typically included are those countries whose dominant culture is derived from European culture, such as North and South America, Australia and New Zealand.


Several Definitions of the Western worldAt different times and in different contexts, the definition of the West (also on rare occasions called the Occident) varies. Even definitions of what constitutes the West today vary. To define what is typical of modern Western society and Western culture is hindered by the lack of a clear definition and the dichotomy between Western Christian and Western secular thought.


The division between "East" and "West" is a product of European cultural history, and of the distinction between European Christendom and the alien cultures beyond it to the East. Before the discovery of the Americas and the exploration of Sub-Saharan Africa by the Europeans, only North Africa and other Islamic countries to the East were known in detail, though India and China were vaguely known of. The crusades established what became a border between "Eastern" and "Western" peoples. With the European colonization of the Americas the East/West distinction became global. The concept of an Eastern or "Oriental" sphere was emphasized by ideas of racial as well as religious and cultural differences. Such distinctions were articulated by Westerners in the scholarly tradition known as Orientalism. People from the East are known by certain regions in the West as "Oriental". During the Cold War, the term "Eastern world" was sometimes used as an extension of Eastern bloc, connoting the Soviet Union, China and their communist allies, while the term "Western world" often connoted the United States and its NATO allies such as the United Kingdom and France.

Answer 2

The "Age of Exploration" began in Europe, considered (by Europeans) the center of the world.

The new world was across the Atlantic, to the West. The Orient was far to the East (The Far East)

So, a fairer quesion is why Europeans considered themselves the center of the world? Mostly because most of the greater Asian Empires didn't see the need to explore any part ot the world they couldn't occupy. Europeans went out to explore for the purpose of establishing trade and develop natural resources. Remember, Columbus's original purpose was to find a shortcut to Asia.

Answer 3

From the times of the sailing ships. Europe was the center of the universe and Asia was to the East and the new world to the West.

Answer 4

It relies upon on the place you a measuring from. From the best meridian, that's positioned interior the united kingdom, Asia would be east and extra divided into the middle East and a lot East. back from the best meridian, North usa would be west. Europe technically must be east however the term Western Europe replicate alliances.

Answer 5

Because those descriptions were invented during the Roman Empire.

To the west of Spain, there was a large, unpassable ocean.
In the center was the Mediterranean (Latin for 'middle of the earth')

To the east, the lands that Alexander the Great had conquered in 350 B.C., Asia.

Answer 6

The term Western world or "the West" can have multiple meanings depending on its context. Originally defined as Western Europe, most modern uses of the term refer to the societies of Europe and their close genealogical, linguistic, and philosophical colonial descendants, typically included are those countries whose dominant culture is derived from European culture, such as North and South America, Australia and New Zealand.


Several Definitions of the Western worldAt different times and in different contexts, the definition of the West (also on rare occasions called the Occident) varies. Even definitions of what constitutes the West today vary. To define what is typical of modern Western society and Western culture is hindered by the lack of a clear definition and the dichotomy between Western Christian and Western secular thought.

And the ones who were outside this circle were called Eastern people. SO whenever a person is referred as from the east he is supposed to be out of this culture.

Hope this helps
Good luck.:)

Answer 7

Because when the europeans found asia they thought that there was nothing west of them, so they called asia the close east, the middle east and the far east, middle east is the only one still used

Answer 8

Greenwich, Check on a globe,Longitude 0° 0' 0". Anything to the east of it is The East, The West is to the west of this international time line (GMT).

Answer 9

The east refers to east of the Grand Meridian. When Great Britain had its empire they set the Grand Meridian so it passed through London, ineffect making their capital city the center of the world.

Answer 10

Its called "orientaism", the idea that everything is defined through frames of reference dteremined by those that have the ability toi define. Thats wh ythe "Middle East" is the Middle East even for those who are east of the midle east. Akin to a form of discursive racism.