Designated Themes

Geographic Determinism

At the heart of Guns, Germs, and Steel is a theory that has since become known as “geographic determinism”: the idea that civilizations develop over time in different ways in response to environmental factors such as temperature, soil fertility, availability of large mammals, and physical barriers to travel. Research Geographic Determinism and write a comprehensive paper explaining it.

Racism, Violence, and Colonization

One of the basic assumptions of Diamond’s theory of geographic determinism is that there are no fundamental differences in the intelligence, propensity for violence, or talent of peoples from different parts of the world—the cause of differences between civilizations is, in a word, geography. Research this topic and either defgend or deny this assertion with evidence.

Diffusion, Trade, and Disease

One of the most important aspects of Diamond’s theory of geographic determinism is the concept of diffusion: the many different ways that technologies, ideas, goods, and resources are transported and spread both within a society and between separate societies.

Choose one area of the world and research how cultural diffusion has changed and shaped its culture and civilization.

Government, Centralization, and the State

One of the most important developments in modern human history—and one of the major reasons why certain societies were able to colonize other societies—is the development of the modern state. Diamond defines a state as a large (at least 100,000 people, usually) society organized around a single central leadership (that leadership could be a king, a parliament, or a combination of President, Congress, and Supreme Court, as in the United States). Research three different types of government and how they either promote or limit exploration and colonization.

Technology and Creativity

As its title would indicate, Guns, Germs, and Steel is largely about technology—in particular, how civilizations develop technologies and then use them to gain a comparative advantage over other civilizations. By his own admission, one of the big blind spots in Diamond’s book is how civilizations, or rather, individual people, discover technologies in the first place. What factors pressure a society to develop new technologies. What factors give them an advantage to design sophisticated technology while other societies remain in the stone age?

A History of Grain

The Agricultural Revolution completely changed the diet of humans. Coincidently the rise of beer was closely associated with the domestication of the cereal grains from which it is made and the adoption of farming. How did the domestication of grain change human society and physical attributes.

Guns Germs and Steel

Jared diamond and his theory on how and the Europeans were so successful in their conquest of the Incas. This was made possible due to the location of Europe. With the inventions of guns, and steel, along with being exposed to many germs before the Incas. This gave the conquistadors many advantages over the incas that allowed them to defeat such great civilizations. HOw did these three factors allow Europeans to conquer so many other civilizations?

Development of Civilization

Take a close look at the Fertile Crescent, plants and animals spread quickly into Europe and North Africa. Innovations such as written language and wheels spread similarity quickly as well. People used domesticated crops rather than those that grew naturally. This shows that people easily adapted the Fertile Crescent’s food production. Research why civilization was able to bloom and prosper in this region.

Genetically Modifying Crops

Summary: What are the advantages and disadvantages of genetically modifying food crops? Can developing countries or countries struggling with famine profit from these techniques?Does it affect the surrounding environment? These are all questions that have kept scientist biologist and ethicists busy. Research the history of GMO foods.

The Arrow Of Disease Diamond

When Columbus and his successors invaded the Americas, the most potent weapon they carried was their germs. But why didn’t deadly disease flow in the other direction, from the New World to the Old? Research the evolution and spread of disease during the period of colonialism.

Technology

In the book Guns, Germs, and Steel the Fates of Human Societies, Jared Diamond discusses the superior developments and advancements of mankind that shaped history through time. Research why technology has developed so rapidly over the past 5 centuries and what the most important inventions were.

European Settlement in Latin America

Between 1450 and 1750 C. E. , Europeans entered Latin America and created new political structures, increased trade, and brought their religion. This happened because the Spanish conquered the Aztecs and Incas, while Portugal took over what is now Brazil. Hernando Cortes conquered the Aztecs while Francisco Pizzarro conquered the Incas. Research how this influenced the development of a South or Central American country of your choice.

The Colonization of America: Genocide

History proves to us time and time again that there can be many sides to a story based upon one thing—perspective. Throughout the 15th and 16th century as European nations began to colonize the New World, millions of Native Americans died in the efforts of the invading countries. Research this interaction through the lens of genocide and argue whether or not you feel this strategy was intentional and justified.

Hunter Gathering versus Civilization

Anthropologists have argued that the impact hunter-gathering has on our health, culture, and planet is more beneficial than that of agriculture and sedentary civilization. Choose a side and write an argumentative essay supporting your assertion.

Christopher Columbus

Columbus has been revered by American culture for centuries, but the truth is he never set foot in the ‘Americas’ and was a brutal explorer. Write a paper that researches the truth about Columbus and argue whether or not we should change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.

Chain of Causation

Diamond attempts to “trace the chain of causation” (p. 71) leading up to Atahuallpa’s capture. Diamond begins with the most immediate circumstances and works backward, from guns to disease, in order to identify the principles at play in similar world events.

Technology as a military advantage

Diamond writes that “Within half a dozen years of the rebellions against the initial conquest, Incas mounted two desperate, large-scale, well-prepared rebellions against the Spaniards. All those efforts failed because of the Spaniards’ far superior armament” (p. 73). Technology like steel weapons and guns helped the Spanish conquer the Incas, but if the Incas had had better armament, or weapons, the Europeans may not have succeeded in defeating them.

Disease as genocide paving the way for colonization

Diamond writes that “Throughout the Americas, diseases introduced with Europeans spread from tribe to tribe far in advance of the Europeans themselves, killing an estimated 95 percent of the pre-Columbian Native American population” (p. 75). Disease served to pave the way for European colonization, insofar as it helped Europeans defeat pre-existing societies.

Literacy as military advantage

Diamond claims that “literacy made the Spaniards heirs to a huge body of knowledge about human behavior and history”

(p. 77), which the Inca people did not have. This gave the Spanish a military advantage insofar as they could predict others’ behavior more easily than the Incas.