Guns Germs and Steel
Effects of Agriculture on the Development of Societies, Technology, and Disease
Before early humans developed agriculture, they relied on hunting and gathering for food. The development of agriculture always preceded the development of early societies. When a people leave their nomadic lifestyle and turn to a sedentary life they must rely on agriculture. As agriculture develops, so does the society in a number of ways. Agriculture sparks the development of and speed of the evolution of germs, writing, technology, and government in early societies. Domestication and raising of livestock exposes humans to animal diseases and increases the spread of lethal germs and diseases. Domestication of animals for certain traits can cause rare diseases to come into play. When raising livestock people interact with animals more than they would if they were hunting for food. The animals had to be cleaned, fed, and cooperated with on a daily basis. This interaction between humans and animals, allows germs to develop the ability to spread to a human host (Diamond 205). Most lethal disease in the world today come from some animal or another. Some examples are leprosy, which comes from dogs; AIDS, which comes from a virus in wild African Monkeys; and syphilis, coming from sheep (Diamond 197). When people are sedentary and live in dense societies these diseases are then more easily spread. When people lived a nomadic life, if one person was ill, he or she would eventually have to be left behind or would even just die (Diamond 203). When people are sedentary they attempt to heal the sick person. The person stays near the people and is not separated, the people of the society still interact with that person, and the disease spreads. Agriculture and livestock domestication were prominent in the old world but was not developed in the new world when Columbus discovered it. For this reason "the Indian population decline in the century or two following Columbus 's arrival is estimated
Before early humans developed agriculture, they relied on hunting and gathering for food. The development of agriculture always preceded the development of early societies. When a people leave their nomadic lifestyle and turn to a sedentary life they must rely on agriculture. As agriculture develops, so does the society in a number of ways. Agriculture sparks the development of and speed of the evolution of germs, writing, technology, and government in early societies. Domestication and raising of livestock exposes humans to animal diseases and increases the spread of lethal germs and diseases. Domestication of animals for certain traits can cause rare diseases to come into play. When raising livestock people interact with animals more than they would if they were hunting for food. The animals had to be cleaned, fed, and cooperated with on a daily basis. This interaction between humans and animals, allows germs to develop the ability to spread to a human host (Diamond 205). Most lethal disease in the world today come from some animal or another. Some examples are leprosy, which comes from dogs; AIDS, which comes from a virus in wild African Monkeys; and syphilis, coming from sheep (Diamond 197). When people are sedentary and live in dense societies these diseases are then more easily spread. When people lived a nomadic life, if one person was ill, he or she would eventually have to be left behind or would even just die (Diamond 203). When people are sedentary they attempt to heal the sick person. The person stays near the people and is not separated, the people of the society still interact with that person, and the disease spreads. Agriculture and livestock domestication were prominent in the old world but was not developed in the new world when Columbus discovered it. For this reason "the Indian population decline in the century or two following Columbus 's arrival is estimated
Cited: Diamond, Jared. Guns, Germs, and Steel. 1st ed. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1999. 195-292. Print.