GUNS, GERMS, AND STEELE

“Why is it that you white people developed so much cargo, but we black
people had little cargo of our own?” That was the question that started it all
for Jared Diamond’s journey to discovery. Jared Diamond is one of the
most well known scientist, geographer and author. Specifically for his work
Guns, Germs, And Steele. Wherein he was able to discuss the forces
behind the advancement in our modern societies.

It all started when Jared Diamond was in the Island of Papau New Guinea
where he met a local named Yali and was asked, “Why is it that you white
people developed so much cargo, but we black people had little cargo of
our own?” That’s when he started questioning what was so different from
the Europeans that they are more advance in the development and such in
order for him to understand the success of the Europeans he needs to fully
understand it thus brings us at a time of equality when people where
hunting for wild animals as a way of survival but Due to the aftershock of
the Ice Age, people had limited resources. That’s when they started to
cultivate the resources around them; Farming. Jared Diamond also talked
about the Agricultural Revolution wherein if a wild plant was placed under
the control of us humans we can find ways to cultivate it for our own
needs. But not all wild plants are useful for us humans. Thus begins the
inequality, it showed that most of the discovered wild plants and even
animals that can be useful or cultivated was around Asia or Europe. Such
as rice and other important goods or products that we use. He was also
able to show that the geography of Europe and Asia was simply far more
accessible for development in all types of way. That was when Jared
Diamond started to realize that the inequality started with the different
countries land, the animals that surround the place, the plants or crops.

Spaniard Francisco Pizzaro was well known for the fact that he was the
leader of the Spanish Conquistadors with only 168 warriors that was able
to defeat the 7,000 Inca warriors and was able to defeat the emperor
himself within a single day. Now the question lies in how did he managed
to do that? Jared Diamond was able to explain that the Europeans was at
that time was able to used horses not only for their livelihood but later on
they were able to learn to ride them through battles which can help them to
succeed. While the Inca’s only relied on Llamas, Llamas that they cannot
ride through battles or wars Secondly, was the Europeans had weapons
such as Guns and Swords because of the resources they have within their
lands that can provide them to do such. Unlike the Inca’s who wasn’t
endowed with such resources. And lastly, the weapon of past experience
Francisco Pizzarro was able discuss and inspire his men through the
writings of Cortes and the battle he had to conquer the Aztec Empire. In
Corte’s writing he was able to somehow show or “hand me down” tricks to
help them for their upcoming battle. While the Inca’s never even heard of
Cortes or the Aztec because of the geographical place they are in. It was
impossible or simply hard for information or any ideas to arrive in Peru for
somehow they are isolated thus they do not have any knowledge of the
Mayan’s own system of writing. So when they were shown a copy of a
bible, they did not understand what it was and they threw it away. Igniting
the anger of the Spaniards leading to the massacre or defeat of the 7,000
warriors of Inca’s. But overtime we discovered that almost all the native
population in Inca was wiped out due to the European Germs or Infections
that the Spaniards brought. Infections such as smallpox or was called
lethal gift of livestock. As said earlier European’s have a lot of animals and
crop or farmers wherein they lived so close with the animals that they
somehow drink eat or breathe the animal’s germs. But overtime some
Europeans were somehow immune to this infection that they were able to
pass the immunity down to there next generation even to those who
traveled to America.

The European’s that tried to colonize Africa at first was very lucky for they
landed in a place where the climate suited them and they were able to
colonize some communities easily. But when they started traveling north
and into the tropics they started having problems. Not only with the
temperature but also with their health. Some of them started falling ill, the
tropical weather made a great impact on them. Their crops and animals
can’t survive the tropical weather they are experiencing. Unlike from native
Africans such as the Mapungubwe where their crops and such resources It
was said that like the Europeans the Africans had found a way to immune
or adapt themselves to some illness. Such as Smallpox and Malaria. It was
even said that the Tropical Climate that the Africans were experiencing
didn’t stop them from evolving it only made them work hard even more.
Thus, only made the Europeans want to colonize them more. The
Europeans colonials’ exploitation with the African led to the downfall to
their way of life and all the things they have accomplished. Today, in
Zambia. Malaria is one of the most common diseases that can kill. It is only
one of the many effects the effects of the Europeans colonization did to
Africa.

The inequalities we are experiencing now are shaped by the geographical

place we are in. The land, crops and the animals. It will not entirely
revolved around them but still it will be the foundation or the head start to
an advance country. We still have the power in ourselves to enrich our own
countries, or to find ways to cope or adapt. Some countries are more
advance compared from others because of the geographical influence they
have but it also takes a person’s perseverance to thrive to become a better
more cultured country. It will not only depend on the geographical place
itself but also on the civilization or people living in it for it to continue to
grow and advance.