Podcast
Questions and Answers
Guns, Germs and Steel Pizarro vs. Atahualpa (1532) The ______ had no terrain knowledge, had 168 soldiers against 80000. Still kept Atahualpa hostage for 8 months and extracted 80m3 of gold. Reasons: Steel weapons, swords and guns vs. stone, bronze or wooden clubs. ______ had horses, Incans did not. Smallpox reached Inca and killed many, ______ were immune. ______ had ships, financial system to finance them, a kingdom to organize it. ______ had writing, Inca knew nothing about the ______ despite setting foot on the South American continent in 1510. Why did the ______ have this kind of advantage? Jared Diamond’s argument: Geography caused the Europeans to have more complex societies due to higher level of technology, thanks to more domesticable animal and plant species. Maori vs. Moriori (1835) Descended from the same Polynesian ancestors, parted ways in 1500AD. Moriori live on the Chatham Islands, whereas the Maori live on the New Zealand mainland. The Maori could kill or enslave most of the Moriori. Reason: The Maori had a complex society with farming and hierarchy, the Moriori kept being hunter-gatherers, because of geographical differences. It is essentially a ‘natural experiment’, showing the differences geography can cause to genetically and culturally identical people. Plants, Animals and Other Amenities All modern people spread from Africa years ago, ‘Great Leap Forward’ (tools, bows, fish hooks etc.) 50000 years ago, we don’t know what caused this (one explanation: the start of voice usage). According to Diamond, the availability of appropriate plants and animals is crucial for the development of civilizations. Appropriate animals deliver meat, milk, fertilizer and power. Plants and animals provide clothing, textiles, means of transportation. Societies with domesticated animals are also closer to infectious diseases -> develop immunity. The Neolithic Revolution Basics Once you domesticate plants and animals, you can settle. Settler societies can store food, evolve into more complex societies, have rank distinctions, and build walls to defend property. Some areas in the world had more appropriate plants and animals, thus some evolved faster. The Mediterranean climate was particularly good: Mild, wet winters, long, dry summers. Big nutrient seeds. Multiple altitudes and landscapes. Useful big mammals. Continents’ axes also have a role: easier to spread domestication of crops and animals east and west than north and south, as they share similar habitats, climates and diseases -> Eurasia was the only lucky continent. Example: Species domesticated in the Fertile Crescent spread quickly east and west, they could not spread south because of the Sahara desert in between. Geography and Technological Innovation None of the reasons for innovation seem linked to geography, which makes Diamond’s theses less compelling, geography is not the only force at work. Some reasons for technological regress linked to geography: Remoteness: Makes the adoption of new technology from neighbors less likely. Makes it easier to suppress innovation whenever a sovereign wishes (Gun ban in Japan because it disturbed the Samurai class). Size of Continents: New ideas/technologies are born when people interact, the potential for innovation rises exponentially with population size.
Guns, Germs and Steel Pizarro vs. Atahualpa (1532) The ______ had no terrain knowledge, had 168 soldiers against 80000. Still kept Atahualpa hostage for 8 months and extracted 80m3 of gold. Reasons: Steel weapons, swords and guns vs. stone, bronze or wooden clubs. ______ had horses, Incans did not. Smallpox reached Inca and killed many, ______ were immune. ______ had ships, financial system to finance them, a kingdom to organize it. ______ had writing, Inca knew nothing about the ______ despite setting foot on the South American continent in 1510. Why did the ______ have this kind of advantage? Jared Diamond’s argument: Geography caused the Europeans to have more complex societies due to higher level of technology, thanks to more domesticable animal and plant species. Maori vs. Moriori (1835) Descended from the same Polynesian ancestors, parted ways in 1500AD. Moriori live on the Chatham Islands, whereas the Maori live on the New Zealand mainland. The Maori could kill or enslave most of the Moriori. Reason: The Maori had a complex society with farming and hierarchy, the Moriori kept being hunter-gatherers, because of geographical differences. It is essentially a ‘natural experiment’, showing the differences geography can cause to genetically and culturally identical people. Plants, Animals and Other Amenities All modern people spread from Africa years ago, ‘Great Leap Forward’ (tools, bows, fish hooks etc.) 50000 years ago, we don’t know what caused this (one explanation: the start of voice usage). According to Diamond, the availability of appropriate plants and animals is crucial for the development of civilizations. Appropriate animals deliver meat, milk, fertilizer and power. Plants and animals provide clothing, textiles, means of transportation. Societies with domesticated animals are also closer to infectious diseases -> develop immunity. The Neolithic Revolution Basics Once you domesticate plants and animals, you can settle. Settler societies can store food, evolve into more complex societies, have rank distinctions, and build walls to defend property. Some areas in the world had more appropriate plants and animals, thus some evolved faster. The Mediterranean climate was particularly good: Mild, wet winters, long, dry summers. Big nutrient seeds. Multiple altitudes and landscapes. Useful big mammals. Continents’ axes also have a role: easier to spread domestication of crops and animals east and west than north and south, as they share similar habitats, climates and diseases -> Eurasia was the only lucky continent. Example: Species domesticated in the Fertile Crescent spread quickly east and west, they could not spread south because of the Sahara desert in between. Geography and Technological Innovation None of the reasons for innovation seem linked to geography, which makes Diamond’s theses less compelling, geography is not the only force at work. Some reasons for technological regress linked to geography: Remoteness: Makes the adoption of new technology from neighbors less likely. Makes it easier to suppress innovation whenever a sovereign wishes (Gun ban in Japan because it disturbed the Samurai class). Size of Continents: New ideas/technologies are born when people interact, the potential for innovation rises exponentially with population size.
Spanish
The Spanish had no terrain knowledge, had 168 soldiers against 80000. Still kept ______ hostage for 8 months and extracted 80m3 of gold.
The Spanish had no terrain knowledge, had 168 soldiers against 80000. Still kept ______ hostage for 8 months and extracted 80m3 of gold.
Atahualpa
Steel weapons, swords and guns vs. stone, bronze or wooden clubs. ______ had horses, Incans did not. Smallpox reached Inca and killed many, ______ were immune.
Steel weapons, swords and guns vs. stone, bronze or wooden clubs. ______ had horses, Incans did not. Smallpox reached Inca and killed many, ______ were immune.
Spanish
______ had ships, financial system to finance them, a kingdom to organize it. ______ had writing, Inca knew nothing about the ______ despite setting foot on the South American continent in 1510.
______ had ships, financial system to finance them, a kingdom to organize it. ______ had writing, Inca knew nothing about the ______ despite setting foot on the South American continent in 1510.
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______ caused the Europeans to have more complex societies due to higher level of technology, thanks to more domesticable animal and plant species.
______ caused the Europeans to have more complex societies due to higher level of technology, thanks to more domesticable animal and plant species.
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Moriori live on the Chatham Islands, whereas the ______ live on the New Zealand mainland. The ______ could kill or enslave most of the Moriori.
Moriori live on the Chatham Islands, whereas the ______ live on the New Zealand mainland. The ______ could kill or enslave most of the Moriori.
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The Maori had a complex society with farming and hierarchy, the Moriori kept being hunter-gatherers, because of ______ differences.
The Maori had a complex society with farming and hierarchy, the Moriori kept being hunter-gatherers, because of ______ differences.
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It is essentially a ‘natural experiment’, showing the differences ______ can cause to genetically and culturally identical people.
It is essentially a ‘natural experiment’, showing the differences ______ can cause to genetically and culturally identical people.
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According to Diamond, the availability of appropriate plants and ______ is crucial for the development of civilizations. Appropriate ______ deliver meat, milk, fertilizer and power.
According to Diamond, the availability of appropriate plants and ______ is crucial for the development of civilizations. Appropriate ______ deliver meat, milk, fertilizer and power.
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Societies with ______ animals are also closer to infectious diseases -> develop immunity.
Societies with ______ animals are also closer to infectious diseases -> develop immunity.
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Once you ______ plants and animals, you can settle. Settler societies can store food, evolve into more complex societies, have rank distinctions, and build walls to defend property.
Once you ______ plants and animals, you can settle. Settler societies can store food, evolve into more complex societies, have rank distinctions, and build walls to defend property.
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Geography and Technological Innovation None of the reasons for innovation seem linked to ______, which makes Diamond’s theses less compelling, ______ is not the only force at work.
Geography and Technological Innovation None of the reasons for innovation seem linked to ______, which makes Diamond’s theses less compelling, ______ is not the only force at work.
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