1. Describe the progressivist view of agriculture that Jared Diamond criticizes.

The progressivist view of agriculture that Jared Diamond criticizes is how people just left the
traditions of hunter-gathering about 10,000 years ago in order to switch into agriculture. Jared Diamond
defends hunter-gathering by explaining the flaws of the progressivist views. For example, “Just imagine
a band of savages, exhausted from searching for nuts or chasing wild animals, suddenly grazing for the
first time at a fruit-laden orchard or a pasture full of sheep. How many milliseconds do you think it
would take them to appreciate the advantages of agriculture?” This reveals a possibility that animals
could take an opportunity of fields and fields of agriculture, which ultimately could change someone
with a progressivist view like a farmer to side with Diamond.

2. What were some of the negative effects of the Neolithic Revolution?

Some of the negative effects of the Neolithic Revolutions are increase in unhealthy lives and
inequality. As Diamond explained facts such as the life expectancies. One example would be, “’Life
expectancy at birth in the preagricultural community was bout twenty-six years," says Armelagos, "but
in the postagricultural community it was nineteen years. “ This shows that after the Revolution life
expectancy dropped 7 years! Another example is, “Farming may have encouraged inequality between
the sexes, as well. Freed from the need to transport their babies during a nomadic existence, and under
pressure to produce more hands to till the fields, farming women tended to have more frequent
pregnancies than their hunter-gatherer counterparts–with consequent drains on their health.” This
explains that the Revolution also sparked some gender inequality on women having to work like today.

3. Which details from the article did you find most surprising? Explain

The details from the article I found most surprising is how Diamond doesn’t support agriculture
and defends hunter-gathering throughout the whole text. For example, “Hunter-gatherers practiced the
most successful and longest-lasting life style in human history. In contrast, we’re still struggling with the
mess into which agriculture has tumbled us, and it’s unclear whether we can solve it.” This represents
Diamond’s stubborn position of supporting hunter-gathering, as he calls agriculture a mess. To add on,
“Finally, at 11:54 p. m. we adopted agriculture. As our second midnight approaches, will the plight of
famine-stricken peasants gradually spread to engulf us all?” This also shows Diamond’s perspective
describing that the Neolithic Revolution infecting peasants which could infect us all.

4. Do you agree or disagree with Jared Diamond's critique of the Neolithic Revolution? Explain

I disagree with Jared Diamond’s critique of the Neolithic Revolution because I find hunter-
gathering to be less efficient than agriculture in the modern world today. One example of this is,
“Finally, the mere fact that agriculture encouraged people to clump together in crowded societies, many
of which then carried on trade with other crowded societies, led to the spread of parasites and
infectious disease. (Some archaeologists think it was the crowding, rather than agriculture, that
promoted disease, but this is a chicken-and-egg argument, because crowding encourages agriculture
and vice versa.)” This reveals that archeologists speculate agriculture couldn’t have caused diseases,
which I personally agree with. Due to the fact that many people during his time living in tight space
would have caused disease not agriculture.

1. According to the article, what makes humans unique compared to other animals?

Humans are unique compared to other animals, according to the article because we have the
power to choose what we want to do. Since us humans have brains more complex than animals we are
able to process and use information like no other animal. To add on, we have hands and thumbs which
some animals could only dream of having. Regardless, “No other animal manipulates the world in the
extensive and arbitrary way that humans do." This represents that we are the only one of its kind.

2. According to archaeological evidence, how did humans develop and spread across the world?

Humans developed and spread across according to the studies of early human life is by
developing cultures in order for us to thrive. For example, “Evidence from archaeology indicates that
Homo erectus developed a culture that included the construction of shelters and the use of hand axes
and fire and maybe spoken language.” This shows how early humans were making new inventions and
discovering their uses just like fire. To add on, “Homo sapiens spread over Eurasia and later reached
Australia and America during Ice Ages when water locked in ice sheets lowered the level of oceans.” This
represents that during the Ice Age was the time where humans were nomadic and spread all over earth.