Why did Pizarro win the “battle” of Cajamarca?

Goals: Be able to answer…
• Why did Pizarro win the “battle” of Cajamarca?
• How can we explain the origins of agriculture?
• Why did Mediterranean climates facilitate crop
domestication?
• Why did Eurasia have more domesticated large
animals and diseases?
How do you explain the distribution of wealth
and power in the world today?
• How did continental orientation lead to Eurasian
dominance?
• Why was Europe more imperialistic than China?
The Incan Empire…
4. Why do you think Eurasian societies have
more wealth and power than Native American or
African?
Incan architecture
Transportation
1
Atahualpa
Customs
1532: Pizarro and Atahualpa at Cajamarca
80,000 Incans vs. 168
Spaniards (37 horses)
2
Ultimate
causation
5. What advantages did Pizarro have that let him
easily route the Incans?
East-West
axis
Suitable
species
Diffusion of
innovation
Domestication
Why did the Europeans
rather than Africans or
Native Americans have
guns, germs, and steel?
Farming
Large, dense,
stratified
societies
Proximal
causation
Technology
Horses
Ships
Disease
Weapons
Writing
Ultimate
causation
Why and how did
agriculture arise?
East-West
axis
Suitable
species
Diffusion of
innovation
10,000 BC
2000 BC
Domestication
3500 BC
Farming
Large, dense,
stratified
societies
Proximal
causation
Technology
Independent origins of agriculture
Horses
Ships
Disease
Weapons
Writing
Explaining why people became farmers is
complicated…
Adam & Eve
Jacob & Esau
Agriculturalists...
• Worked harder
• Were more malnourished
Why did agriculture originate?
Cain & Abel
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Explaining why people became farmers is
complicated…
Prey scarcity?
Origins of Agriculture:
• Casual sowing and obsidian trade Æ
Obsidian trade
Explaining why people became farmers is
complicated…
Prey scarcity?
Origins of Agriculture:
• Casual sowing and obsidian trade Æ
• Seed bins for storage Æ
• Sedentary lifestyle Æ
• Higher population?
Population
Agr.
Stuck in + feedback:
Ultimate
causation
Why did the
Eurasians farm first?
East-West
axis
Suitable
species
Mediterranean Climate
Diffusion of
innovation
Domestication
Farming
Large, dense,
stratified
societies
Proximal
causation
Hot, dry summers
Warm, wet winters
Technology
Horses
Ships
Disease
Weapons
Writing
4
Fertile Crescent
The Mediterranean Region: Cereals and Beans
• Climate Æ
• Annual species
• Large seeds
32 of 56 large-seeded
grass species in the
world grow here
The Mediterranean Region: Cereals and Beans
• Climate Æ
Domestication: 10,000-7,800 BCE
Larger seeds, non-shattering rachis
• Annual species
• Large seeds
Domestication: 10,000-7,800 BC
Why did a Mediterranean climate lead to better
available species for domestication?
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Corn: Mesoamerica, 3500 BCE
Rice: SE Asia
Aztec Chinampas
Sunflowers,
N. America, 2000 BCE
Quinoa,
Andes, ???
Independent origins of agriculture
6
Animal Domestication: 8200-2500 BC
13 of 14 large domesticated animals in the world
are from Eurasia.
S America = 1
Africa = 0
The major 5 domesticated large animals
Sheep:
SW Asia
8000 BCE
Goat:
SW Asia
8000 BCE
Pig:
SW Asia, China
8000 BCE
Cow:
SW Asia, India, N Africa? 6000 BCE
Horse:
Ukraine
4000 BCE
Characteristics of (most) domesticable animals:
Large size
What qualities make an animal a good
candidate for domestication?
Characteristics of (most) domesticable animals:
Social hierarchical structure, herding
Mild temperament
Generalist diet, herbivorous
Fast growth rate
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Unhappy marriages:
• Finicky diet
• Slow growth rate
Eurasia
SubSaharan
Africa
Americas
Australia
Candidates
72
51
24
1
Domesticated
13
0
1
0
• Won’t breed in captivity
• Nasty disposition
• Tendency to panic
• Territorial
• Solitary
Why so few in Africa, Americas?
Humans have been in Sub-Saharan Africa a VERY
long time. What might be some adaptations of
African animals that animals in Eurasia might not
have?
Consider: Natural selection, coevolution, and
human origins…
Or climate change…
Overkill…
8
Ultimate
causation
East-West
axis
Suitable
species
Close living with
domesticated
animals = disease
Diffusion of
innovation
Domestication
Why did the
Eurasians have more
disease resistance?
Farming
Large, dense,
stratified
societies
Proximal
causation
Technology
Horses
Ships
Disease
Weapons
Writing
Coevolution of humans
and disease = resistance
Cow pox and
milkmaids…
Native Americans were not resistant…
Small pox etc… killed 90%
of the Native American
population
Why was Atahualpa the Inca?
Ultimate
causation
Why did the Eurasians
have more technology?
East-West axis
Suitable
species
Diffusion of
innovation
Domestication
Farming
Large, dense,
stratified
societies
Proximal
causation
Technology
Horses
Ships
Disease
Weapons
Writing
9
Axes of continents and biogeography
Eurasia
Americas
Africa
In which directions do you think trade, crops,
inventions would most likely spread?
Farming = large, dense, sedentary societies
Innovations cannot cross climatic
and ecological barriers easily
Europe’s feuding nation-states fueled
competition and innovation
• Sedentary Æ class stratification
• Standing army
• Priest class to justify war
• Nonmotile
• Technological advances
Why Europe and not China?
10
Ultimate
causation
Why did the Europeans
rather than Africans or
Native Americans have
guns, germs, and steel?
East-West
axis
Suitable
species
Diffusion of
innovation
Domestication
Farming
Large, dense,
stratified
societies
Proximal
causation
Technology
Horses
Ships
Disease
Weapons
Writing
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