'python' Bash command doesn't link to 2.1.1

[root]

Hello, I've decided to use Python as my first programming language (as
per advice at http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html ) and
I've run into a problem during installation.  My Linux (Linux PPC 2000)
came packaged with Python 1.5.2 but I thought I'd upgrade to the latest
version before I got started.  I unpacked the download and followed all
the instructions in the README (./configure then make) and everything
seemed to go fine.

I cannot, however, run Python 2.1.1 using the 'python' terminal command
and there is no Python man page installed.  Typing 'python' at the
command prompt brings up the 1.5.2 interpreter.  I can run the 2.1.1
interpreter by typing the path of the toplevel Python directory and then
/python (e.g. /home/root/Python-2.1.1/python) but I don't want to have
to do this every time I start the interpreter and I would also like to
have the man page installed.

Could this be an problem with my Linux distribution, perhaps something
to do with the directory structure?  I only started with Linux a few
days ago so I'm probably way off - I'm making the transition from Mac OS
to Linux.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tom