My history teacher says “geography is destiny” and made us watch guns germs and steel. I think bad empanada said this narrative promotes a lack of remorse for colonization because it’s characterized as inevitable. He didn’t explain why it was wrong though iirc. My teacher (who likes orwell) says it’s just material conditions. It could be argued that geography is created the original conditions that led to class society before class forced largely took over, though this could be taken to the extent of class being secondary. Anyone know about this?

  • QueerCommie@lemmygrad.mlOP
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    11 months ago

    In contrast, america had to develop agriculture to produce more food since it had only the turkey and the llamas.

    Yes, that’s what they say.

    Another fun fact is how much more developed hygiene was in america.

    Yeah, that’s probably part of why they spread so much disease so fast.

    • ComradeSalad@lemmygrad.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      11 months ago

      Not really, disease came more from domesticated animals, since a lot of the deadliest diseases known to man and the Old World came from zoonotic sources, or were spread through insects and animals such as fleas, ticks, mice, rats, or birds.

        • redtea@lemmygrad.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          11 months ago

          Not on its own, though. The colonisers had to look at the damage caused and think, ‘Now would be a good time to take advantage of a weakened enemy’.