Week 7: Study Guide 4 Flashcards
Why did indigenous populations lack immunity to European diseases?
Indigenous populations had not been previously exposed to these diseases, as they had evolved in Eurasia through long-term interactions with domesticated animals and dense human populations.
What evidence challenges the Pristine Myth in the Amazon?
The existence of terra preta soil and urban settlements shows that indigenous people actively managed and cultivated their environment.
Describe the significance of the Columbian Exchange on Europe’s economy.
The Columbian Exchange brought valuable crops and resources to Europe, boosting agricultural productivity, diversifying diets, and contributing to economic growth.
Match the following terms with their descriptions:
A-3
B-5
C-1
D-2
E-4
True or False
The Columbian Exchange led to a decline in global population.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Columbian Exchange generally led to population growth worldwide due to the introduction of calorie-rich crops (like potatoes and maize) to Europe, Asia, and Africa, which improved diets and supported population increases. However, it did lead to a decline in indigenous populations in the Americas due to disease and other impacts.
True or False
Indigenous Amazonians used terra preta as a means to enrich soil for agriculture.
Answer: True
Explanation: Terra preta, or “black earth,” was a type of nutrient-rich soil created by indigenous Amazonians through the addition of organic matter, charcoal, and other materials. This soil management technique allowed them to farm sustainably in the otherwise nutrient-poor Amazonian soil.
True or False
The Continental Axis theory suggests north-south continental orientations aided agricultural spread.
Answer: False
Explanation: Jared Diamond’s Continental Axis theory proposes that east-west continental orientations, like in Eurasia, facilitated the spread of agriculture because similar latitudes have similar climates. In contrast, the Americas’ north-south orientation posed more barriers due to varying climates and environments along the latitudes.
True or False
Disease immunity among indigenous people was high before European contact.
Answer: False
Explanation: Indigenous populations in the Americas had limited exposure to the types of diseases that had evolved in Eurasia due to close living with domesticated animals and dense populations. As a result, they lacked immunity to diseases like smallpox, measles, and influenza, which devastated them after contact with Europeans.
True or False
The Industrial Empire phase emphasized industrial crops like rubber.
True
The Industrial Empire phase, during the 1800s-1900s, focused on cash crops that supported industrial needs, such as rubber, cotton, and other raw materials. These crops were essential for producing goods in factories and became central to colonial economies.
Which of the following best explains why European societies had an advantage in global dominance during the Age of Exploration?
A) Access to domesticated plants and animals which allowed them to produce enough food to sustain large, specialized populations.
B) Technological advancements in navigation, shipbuilding, and weaponry, which facilitated long-distance exploration and conquest.
C) Geographic orientation of Eurasia which allowed for the widespread diffusion of agricultural techniques and domesticated species.
D) Exposure to diverse pathogens which led to immunities in European populations that were deadly to indigenous populations in the Americas.
E) All of the above factors combined, creating a cumulative advantage for European societies over other regions.
E
Explanation: Each of the individual factors (A through D) contributed to European dominance in different ways. Together, these factors provided Europeans with a unique and powerful set of advantages that allowed them to explore, conquer, and colonize vast areas of the world. This answer reflects Jared Diamond’s theories in Guns, Germs, and Steel, which argue that a combination of environmental and geographical factors gave European societies a significant advantage.
