Guns Germs and Steel

Name: Trevyn Suskowicz_______________________________ Date:_____________________

Viewing Guide:  Guns, Germs, and Steel: Episode 1

Directions: Before viewing the film, read each question below so you know what information and ideas you should be looking for as you watch Episode 1. Record your answers to each question by providing as many facts, details, and examples as possible to answer each question.

1. According to Jared Diamond, what are the three major elements that separate the world’s  “haves” from the “have nots”?

Guns Germs and Steel

2. Jared Diamond refers to the people of New Guinea as “among the world’s most culturally diverse and adaptable people in the world”, yet they have much less than modern Americans.Diamond has developed a theory about what has caused these huge discrepancies among different countries, and he says it boils down to geographic luck. Give several examples from the film to support Diamond’s theory.

People loved in the fertile crescent and had all their resources compared to the resources that the jungle of New Guinea. So when they had resources they could store them and not have to worry about the hunters supplying the food every time.

 3. For thousands of years, people have been cultivating crops. Describe the process used to domesticate crops and create plants that yielded bigger, tastier harvests.

When we domesticate crops we choose the easiest to grow, biggest, tastiest, and at specific times of the year the crops can be grown.

4. According to Diamond, livestock also plays a significant role in a civilization’s ability to 

 become rich and powerful. How did the domestication of animals help people? Give several examples.

When we domesticated animals we could use all of the skin and meat but we could also use them for plowing in the fields, also they would eat the leftover stubble and also fertilize at the same time.

5. List the animals that can be domesticated and where they can be found.

llama-South America, Asia, North Africa, and Europe had the others: goats, sheep, pigs, cows, horses, donkeys, camels, water buffalo, reindeer, yaks, nithans, and
cattle.

6. Looking at the list of animals and locations from question 5, discuss how Diamond’s theory about geographic luck applies here.

When you have animas that are native to the area they are more likely to help you in more ways. And when you had a native animal the places were more likely to be better off.

7. How did the movement of the early civilizations of the Fertile Crescent (Middle East) further support Diamond’s idea that geography played a key role in the success of a civilization?

The Fertile Crescent had a very hot and dry climate and when they planted they didn't have good conservation methods so when they used the land they weren't able to use it over long time because they basically didn't take enough care of it and just wanted they most they could get out of it right then and there.

8. Do you agree with Jared Diamond when he says of a civilization's ability to gain power, 

 wealth, and strength, “…what’s far more important is the hand that people have been dealt, the raw materials they’ve had at their disposal.” Why or why not?

Yes I believe the quote he stated because when you have good materials or animals the chances of you succeeding is greatly helped when you have those animals that you can domesticate or plants that you can grow. All of this will work as long as you have good conservation methods.