Guns, Germs and SteelGuns, Germs and Steel

Jared DiamondJared Diamond

What are some common misconceptions What are some common misconceptions about the origins of food production?about the origins of food production?

That food production was an invention or That food production was an invention or discovery (it was an evolution)discovery (it was an evolution)

That there is a sharp divide between hunters-That there is a sharp divide between hunters-gatherers and food producers (there are mobile gatherers and food producers (there are mobile food producers and sedentary hunters-food producers and sedentary hunters-gatherers)gatherers)

That hunters-gathers just collect wild produce That hunters-gathers just collect wild produce (many actually must manage the land)(many actually must manage the land)

What factors made people shift from What factors made people shift from hunters-gatherers to food hunters-gatherers to food

production?production? Declining availability of wild foods (animal extinctions)Declining availability of wild foods (animal extinctions)

Less wild game made hunting-gathering less rewardingLess wild game made hunting-gathering less rewarding

Technologies for collecting, processing and storing foodTechnologies for collecting, processing and storing food

Rise in human population and rise in food productionRise in human population and rise in food production

Food producers displaced or killed hunters-gathersFood producers displaced or killed hunters-gathers

What is an autocatalytic process?What is an autocatalytic process?

Positive feedback cycle that goes faster and Positive feedback cycle that goes faster and faster once it has startedfaster once it has started

Food production allowed sedentary peoples to Food production allowed sedentary peoples to have more children (with less space in have more children (with less space in between) which gave rise to need for more between) which gave rise to need for more food.food.

What is plant domestication?What is plant domestication?

““Growing a plant and thereby causing it to Growing a plant and thereby causing it to change from its wild ancestor”change from its wild ancestor”

What are the criteria that early What are the criteria that early “farmers” looked for in their plants?“farmers” looked for in their plants? Size (think of supermarket apples vs. wild Size (think of supermarket apples vs. wild

apples)apples) Bitterness (almond gene mutation)Bitterness (almond gene mutation) Seedless (reversing the original function of Seedless (reversing the original function of

fruit)fruit) Oil (olive oil)Oil (olive oil) Fibers (cotton)Fibers (cotton)

What other “invisible” changes occurred on What other “invisible” changes occurred on the road to plant domestication?the road to plant domestication?

Dispersal of seeds (ie. pea pods that do not Dispersal of seeds (ie. pea pods that do not explode to disperse seeds)explode to disperse seeds)

Germination inhibitors (kept plants from Germination inhibitors (kept plants from sprouting too early)sprouting too early)

Reproductive processes for mutant plants Reproductive processes for mutant plants changedchanged

How did natural selection affect How did natural selection affect plants?plants?

Certain individuals in a species adapt or Certain individuals in a species adapt or reproduce better than others to changing reproduce better than others to changing conditionsconditions

British mothsBritish moths

What accounts for the ease or difficulty in What accounts for the ease or difficulty in domesticating some plants?domesticating some plants?

Fertile Crescent crops: easy to grow, less Fertile Crescent crops: easy to grow, less growing time, did not need storage, self-growing time, did not need storage, self-pollinatingpollinating

Fruit and nut trees: no food for 3 years, planted Fruit and nut trees: no food for 3 years, planted as cuttings or seedsas cuttings or seeds

Hard to cultivate fruit trees: grafting and cross-Hard to cultivate fruit trees: grafting and cross-pollination involved. pollination involved.

What are cereals and pulses?What are cereals and pulses?

Cereal crops are members of the grass family Cereal crops are members of the grass family and are fast growing and high in and are fast growing and high in carbohydrates.carbohydrates.

Pulses are high in protein.Pulses are high in protein. Cereal and pulses make a balanced diet. In Cereal and pulses make a balanced diet. In

some world areas, the cereal was replaced by some world areas, the cereal was replaced by tubers (like sweet potatoes).tubers (like sweet potatoes).

Why do we fail to domesticate some Why do we fail to domesticate some plants?plants?

The case of the acorn:The case of the acorn:

-Slow growth-Slow growth

-Squirrels (we humans can’t chose the acorns we -Squirrels (we humans can’t chose the acorns we want)want)

-Bitterness is controlled by many genes in the -Bitterness is controlled by many genes in the acorn (instead of many in the case of the acorn (instead of many in the case of the almond)almond)

What is the Fertile Crescent?What is the Fertile Crescent?

Part of Southwest Asia (the uplands are shaped Part of Southwest Asia (the uplands are shaped like a crescent) that served as the earliest site like a crescent) that served as the earliest site for food production.for food production.

Why did the Fertile Crescent’s animals and plants give it Why did the Fertile Crescent’s animals and plants give it

such a head start over other areas?such a head start over other areas?

Mediterranean climate (mild, wet winters and long, Mediterranean climate (mild, wet winters and long, hot summers). Many cereals and pulses are annuals hot summers). Many cereals and pulses are annuals and produce large seeds that are edible.and produce large seeds that are edible.

Fertile Crescent crops were abundant and productive Fertile Crescent crops were abundant and productive (unlike teosinte, corn’s ancestor)(unlike teosinte, corn’s ancestor)

Self-pollinating plants (occassional cross-pollination Self-pollinating plants (occassional cross-pollination brought new hybrids)brought new hybrids)

What advantages did the Fertile Crescent have over What advantages did the Fertile Crescent have over other areas with Mediterranean climates (like South other areas with Mediterranean climates (like South

Africa or Chile)?Africa or Chile)? Largest zone with a Mediterranean climate Largest zone with a Mediterranean climate Highest climatic variation and therefore most diverse Highest climatic variation and therefore most diverse

annualsannuals Range of elevations (staggered harvests-starting in Range of elevations (staggered harvests-starting in

valleys until seeds matured)valleys until seeds matured) Four species of big mammals: goat, sheep, pig and Four species of big mammals: goat, sheep, pig and

cow (paired with cereals and pulses for complete diet)cow (paired with cereals and pulses for complete diet) Food production package superior to hunting and Food production package superior to hunting and

gathering (gazelles were few, fishing not option)gathering (gazelles were few, fishing not option)

Do hunters-gathers and farmers really know all of Do hunters-gathers and farmers really know all of the plant species available to them or did they over the plant species available to them or did they over

look some plants that could have been domesticated?look some plants that could have been domesticated?

Studies show that people that rely on wild Studies show that people that rely on wild foods are “walking encyclopedias” with foods are “walking encyclopedias” with knowledge on the species characteristics and knowledge on the species characteristics and uses uses

Case: Tell Abu Hureyra (157 species of seeds, Case: Tell Abu Hureyra (157 species of seeds, none that would be harmful to people)none that would be harmful to people)

Ancient peoples knew which wild species Ancient peoples knew which wild species were best to cultivatewere best to cultivate

What were some of the challenges What were some of the challenges that New Guinea faced with regards that New Guinea faced with regards

to food production?to food production? No cereal crops were domesticated (but not No cereal crops were domesticated (but not

one of the 56 large seeded grasses is native to one of the 56 large seeded grasses is native to the island!)the island!)

No large mammal species (until pig, chicken No large mammal species (until pig, chicken and dog came from Asia) so protein deficiencyand dog came from Asia) so protein deficiency

Native root crops did not produce enough to Native root crops did not produce enough to sustain dense populations (sweet potato sustain dense populations (sweet potato changed that)changed that)

What were some of the challenges What were some of the challenges that the Eastern United States faced that the Eastern United States faced

with regards to food production?with regards to food production?

Four founder crops were grown for edible Four founder crops were grown for edible seeds and were only a supplement to wild seeds and were only a supplement to wild foods (like fish and birds)foods (like fish and birds)

Small yield of founder cropsSmall yield of founder crops No domesticated animals (just dogs)No domesticated animals (just dogs)

What does examination of New What does examination of New Guinea, the Fertile Crescent and Guinea, the Fertile Crescent and

Eastern United States tell us?Eastern United States tell us? Successful food production was not tied to the Successful food production was not tied to the

people but the available “suite” of local people but the available “suite” of local animals and plantsanimals and plants

Those areas that did not begin food production Those areas that did not begin food production indigenously at all might have had even less indigenously at all might have had even less wild plants and animals available to themwild plants and animals available to them

Diamond’s CaveatsDiamond’s Caveats

The adoption of new food products is mostly The adoption of new food products is mostly the rule (in “the long run and over large the rule (in “the long run and over large areas”). There are always exceptions.areas”). There are always exceptions.

Those areas that did not develop indigenous Those areas that did not develop indigenous food production might have…given time.food production might have…given time.

According to Diamond, who was responsible for the failure to According to Diamond, who was responsible for the failure to domesticate apples in North America--the Indians or the domesticate apples in North America--the Indians or the

apples?apples?

NEITHER! The entire “suite” of plant and NEITHER! The entire “suite” of plant and animals species available to be domesticated in animals species available to be domesticated in North America was not as strong.North America was not as strong.

Apples are difficult to domesticate (need to Apples are difficult to domesticate (need to use grafting).use grafting).

Log HintsLog Hints

Spell out number 1) when you begin a sentence Spell out number 1) when you begin a sentence with it and 2) if it is two or three words long.with it and 2) if it is two or three words long.

Incorrect: 829 men invaded the island.Incorrect: 829 men invaded the island.Correct: Eight-hundred and twenty-nine men Correct: Eight-hundred and twenty-nine men

invaded the island according to the author. ORinvaded the island according to the author. ORAccording to the author, 829 men invaded the According to the author, 829 men invaded the

island.island.

Log HintsLog Hints

Watch punctuation….Watch punctuation….

For instance sometimes climate was a factor in For instance sometimes climate was a factor in whether people adopted food production.whether people adopted food production.

In the Second Chapter “A Natural Experiment of In the Second Chapter “A Natural Experiment of History the author shows an example of two History the author shows an example of two different Polynesian tribes Moriori and Maori.different Polynesian tribes Moriori and Maori.

Log HintsLog Hints If you are going to cite the author’s work, use MLA style. Put If you are going to cite the author’s work, use MLA style. Put

quotes around the passage when it is taken verbatim from the quotes around the passage when it is taken verbatim from the book. For example: book. For example:

According to Diamond, “there is no large-scale cultivation of According to Diamond, “there is no large-scale cultivation of apples even in the Fertile Crescent” (156).apples even in the Fertile Crescent” (156).

The argument for the environmental advantages some people The argument for the environmental advantages some people had over others is bolstered by the fact that “there is no large-had over others is bolstered by the fact that “there is no large-scale cultivation of apples even in the Fertile Crescent” scale cultivation of apples even in the Fertile Crescent” (Diamond 156).(Diamond 156).

Log HintsLog Hints

Use transition sentences Use transition sentences Be specificBe specific Use sentence varietyUse sentence variety Make sure to edit your workMake sure to edit your work Reflect on the material: How does what this Reflect on the material: How does what this

author said affect me? Do I agree with what author said affect me? Do I agree with what the author said? Why or why not? Do I think the author said? Why or why not? Do I think that the author is biased in some way? that the author is biased in some way?