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 3 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? 5 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 7 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 11
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