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Guns, Germs and Steel Chapter 1 Review
54 Questions
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Guns, Germs and Steel Chapter 1 Review

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@SafePythagoras

Questions and Answers

What is a suitable starting point from which to compare historical developments on different continents?

11,000 B.C

Why 11,000 B.C?

Because the date corresponds to approximately the beginnings of village life.

What are our closest living relatives?

The three surviving species of great ape: the gorilla, the common chimpanzee, and the pigmy chimpanzee (bonobo).

Where were the early stages of human evolution played out?

<p>Africa.</p> Signup and view all the answers

When the population of African apes broke up into several populations, what did they evolve into?

<p>Modern gorillas, two modern chimps, and humans.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Fossils indicate that the evolutionary line leading to us had achieved _____ 4 million years ago.

<p>upright posture</p> Signup and view all the answers

Fossils indicate that the evolutionary line leading to us had achieved _____ 2.5 million years ago.

<p>body size and relative brain size</p> Signup and view all the answers

Name some 'Protohumans'.

<p>Australopithecus africanus, Homo habilis, and Homo erectus.</p> Signup and view all the answers

When was the Homo erectus stage reached?

<p>1.7 million years ago.</p> Signup and view all the answers

When did Stone tools become common?

<p>2.5 million years ago.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Who was the first human ancestor to spread beyond Africa?

<p>Homo erectus.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What represents the population of Europe and western Asia between 130,000 and 40,000 years ago?

<p>Skeletons known as Neanderthals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What notable traits did Neanderthals have?

<p>Had brains slightly larger than our own and evidence of burying their dead.</p> Signup and view all the answers

African skeletal fragments living at the same time as Neanderthals are more similar to what?

<p>Our modern skeletons than to Neanderthal skeletons.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the best preserved evidence that showcases the lifestyle of Africans 100,000 years ago?

<p>Stone artifacts and prey bones accumulated at southern African sites.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the evidence of early Africans show?

<p>They made essentially the same crude stone tools as Neanderthals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

When does Jared Diamond believe human history took off, and what does he call this?

<p>50,000 years ago; The Great Leap Forward.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where did the earliest sign of the 'leap' come from?

<p>East African sites.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where did similar developments to the 'leap' appear?

<p>Near East and in southeastern Europe.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is special about southwestern Europe?

<p>It is where abundant artifacts are associated with fully modern skeletons of people termed Cro-Magnons.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What tools did the Cro-Magnons produce?

<p>Diverse and distinctive shapes, including needles and multi-piece weapons.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did the tools help the Cro-Magnons?

<p>Allowed them to better hunt dangerous prey and add fish &amp; birds to their diet.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What illustrates the ability of Cro-Magnons to survive in cold climates?

<p>Remains of houses and sewn clothing.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the best known preserved products of the Cro-Magnons?

<p>Artworks such as cave paintings, statues, and musical instruments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What unresolved issue regarding the 'Great Leap Forward' exists?

<p>Parallel evolution and multi-regional origins of modern humans.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does Jared Diamond believe the Neanderthals were displaced?

<p>40,000 years ago when the Cro-Magnons arrived in Europe.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the Great Leap Forward coincide with?

<p>It coincides with the first proven major extension of human geographic range.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did the Ice Age affect sea levels?

<p>Water was locked up in glaciers, causing sea levels to drop.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How would people reach Australia/New Guinea from the Asia mainland?

<p>Required crossing a minimum of eight channels, necessitating watercraft.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What significant 'firsts' does the settlement of Australia/New Guinea illustrate?

<p>The use of watercraft and the first mass extermination of large animal species by humans.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What reason is explained as to why large mammals in Africa and Eurasia survived?

<p>The mammals had time to evolve a fear of humans.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What do some skeptics state about humans committing a mass large animal extermination in Australia/New Guinea?

<p>There are no documented bones of extinct animals tied to human activity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does Jared Diamond refute the skeptics regarding mass animal extermination?

<p>'They became extinct in every habitat without exception.'</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where did another extension of human range happen?

<p>In the coldest parts of Eurasia.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Were the Neanderthals well-adapted to the cold?

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

How far did people move who had proper technology for cold climates?

<p>Into Siberia by around 20,000 years ago.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which two continents were the last to be settled?

<p>North America and South America.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What years were the Americas first colonized?

<p>It is uncertain between 14,000 and 35,000 years ago.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where are the oldest unquestioned human remains in the Americas?

<p>Alaska, dated around 12,000 B.C.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What documented the Americas' first colonization by people?

<p>Clovis sites.</p> Signup and view all the answers

When did the technology for coping with extreme cold emerge?

<p>After modern humans invaded Europe around 40,000 years ago.</p> Signup and view all the answers

When was Siberia colonized and how did the people spread to Alaska?

<p>People did not colonize Siberia until 20,000 years later.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What enabled the first Alaskans to pass through into the Great Plains?

<p>A north-south ice-free corridor opened in the Canadian ice sheet.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How were the Great Plains beneficial for the Edmonton Pioneers?

<p>It had a lot of game, supporting population increases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How were the fauna in Australia/New Guinea and America similar?

<p>Both had large mammals that later became extinct.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does Jared Diamond counter the theory that America's large mammals became extinct due to climate changes?

<p>'The Americas' big animals had already survived the ends of 22 previous Ice Ages.'</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is unresolved regarding Clovis hunters?

<p>'Also unresolved is the question whether Clovis hunters really were the first Americans.'</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Jared Diamond state regarding pre-Clovis people in the Americas?

<p>'If there really were pre-Clovis people, why is it still hard to prove that they existed?'</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Jared Diamond state regarding evidence of pre-Clovis people in the Americas?

<p>'The weaknesses in pre-Clovis evidence contrast with the strength of the evidence in Europe.'</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Jared Diamond suggest could explain the difficulty in finding evidence of pre-Clovis people?

<p>'Pre-Clovis humans remained at low population densities or were poorly visible archaeologically.'</p> Signup and view all the answers

Of the five habitable continents, which have the shortest human prehistories?

<p>North America and South America.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which continent has been occupied for longer than any other except Africa?

<p>Eurasia.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which continent has a much greater environmental diversity than Africa?

<p>The Americas.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Jared Diamond's final point in the chapter?

<p>'An observer transported back in time to 11,000 BC could not have predicted which continent societies would develop most quickly.'</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Historical Development Comparison

  • 11,000 B.C serves as a critical starting point for comparing historical advancements across continents, coinciding with the start of village life.

Evolution and Early Humans

  • Human evolution initiated in Africa around 7 million years ago.
  • Closest living relatives include gorillas, common chimpanzees, and bonobos.
  • The population of African apes evolved into modern gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans.
  • 4 million years ago, fossils indicate an upright posture; 2.5 million years ago, significant changes in body and brain size.

Protohumans

  • Key protohuman species include Australopithecus africanus, Homo habilis, and Homo erectus, evolving in succession.
  • Homo erectus emerged about 1.7 million years ago, showcasing size similarities to modern humans but with a smaller brain.

Tool Development

  • Stone tools became prevalent around 2.5 million years ago.
  • Homo erectus, known as the first human ancestor to spread outside Africa, is evidenced by "Java Man" fossils found in Southeast Asia.

Neanderthals

  • Neanderthals inhabited Europe and western Asia from approximately 130,000 to 40,000 years ago and had larger brains than modern humans.
  • Notable for evidence of burial practices and care for the sick, though their tools were less sophisticated compared to modern standards.

African Mortality Evidence

  • African skeletal remains contemporary with Neanderthals resemble modern human skeletons more than Neanderthal structures.
  • Stone artifacts found in southern Africa serve as significant evidence of ancient life and lifestyle.

The Great Leap Forward

  • Human history is believed to have significantly progressed approximately 50,000 years ago, termed "The Great Leap Forward."
  • The leap manifested in East Africa with standardized stone tools and the first jewelry artifacts.

Cultural Innovations

  • Southwestern Europe is notable for artifacts associated with Cro-Magnons, characterized by advanced tool creation and artistry.
  • Cro-Magnon tools included diverse shapes and sophisticated hunting weapons, suggesting improved hunting capabilities and dietary variety.

Climate Adaptations and Human Expansion

  • Neanderthals had poor adaptations for cold climates, limiting their range, unlike others who expanded into Siberia, contributing to larger mammal extinctions.
  • The colonization of North and South America dates back between 14,000 and 35,000 years, with Alaska providing the earliest human remains dated around 12,000 B.C.

Controversies in Clovis Migration

  • Clovis sites document early American colonization, though debates exist regarding pre-Clovis populations and their archaeological visibility.
  • Environmental adaptations in the Americas differ significantly from Africa and Eurasia.

Securing Human Presence

  • The Bering Land Bridge facilitated migration from Asia to the Americas, leading to a burgeoning population dependent on game-rich Great Plains.
  • Extinctions of large mammals occurred at different times across regions, with various theories surrounding causes including human activity and climate change, though the evidence leans towards human involvement.

Conclusion on Development Patterns

  • Jared Diamond asserts that an observer in 11,000 B.C could not have forecasted which continent would develop societies most swiftly, though historical hindsight places Eurasia as the frontrunner in societal evolution, countering earlier simplistic assumptions.

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Description

Explore key concepts from Chapter 1 of 'Guns, Germs, and Steel' with this study guide. This quiz covers important historical timelines and the significance of 11,000 B.C. in the development of early societies.

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