Guns, Germs, and SteelSimulation

Spanish Invaders of America

Differences between the cultures before they came in contact?

(They’re not equal when they meet)

Simulation

We’re going to explore an explanation of why different cultures from around the world were at different points in “development” when colonial powers start traveling around the world meeting new peoples.

Simulation Goal:Your group of 3 or 4 students will

attempt to MAXIMIZE your points.

Each group will be assigned a region of a fictional world, and play through development.

The teacher will explain each step as we go.

First of all:Get in groups of 3-4 students.

We need 6 groups, because there are 6 regions in our fictional world.

1. Fill in group members names at top of each paper

2. Fill in your Region # at the top. ^_^

Step 1: DomesticationDomestication: When people

purposefully or accidentally change a plant or animal’s genes to better suit our human needs.

Domestication helps lead to settled agriculture; people with lots of domesticated life forms are more likely to stay in one place.

DomesticationIf you have a lot of plants that

you are growing (farming) and animals you are raising for food, then you need to stay where the plants and animals are. You can’t move far quickly.

If you don’t have many plants or animals domesticated, you will need to move a lot to find food, maybe following large herds of animals to hunt…

Step 1:Look through your list of available

plants and animals. You can choose to domesticate as many or as few of the animals as you’d like,

EACH Group member should WRITE the animals and plants AND points under “Domestication”

Remember, your goal is to get AS MANY points as possible…. ^^

Make your choices!

Step 2: Transfer of DomesticationSo, some of your regions are

close to each other. Some are really far, and some have natural barriers like deserts, mountains, or isthmuses to reduce transfer.

Also, transfer is more efficient E-W than N-S.

Transfer Process Advice:Region 1 will be trading with many

other groups. Therefore it will be easiest if one member from Region 1 moves to each of the groups that they will trade with.

Make sure you have the animals AND points written down under “Domestication” to make this process easier.

Amount of transfer between regions:

Transfer Rates:Region 1 Region 3 : 100%

Region 1 Region 2 : 50%

Region 1 Region 5 : 20%

Region 4 Region 6 : 20%

Varied Diet Bonus!

If you have a number of 20 or more in BOTH the animal and plant categories after transfer, you get a bonus 15 points!

Acquired Germs / ImmunitiesAs humans live closely with

animals, they catch germs from them. The exposure to the animal diseases might cause some people to die, but we usually develop an immunity to the germs.

Once we have immunity to the germs, the disease will affect us much less.

Domesticated Animals with Germs:NOTE: when you domesticate

animals they change a bit.

So if you domesticated Wolves, you now have Dogs. Make sure you understand which MODERN animals you have now.

Let’s see what immunities you have!Cows measles, tuberculosis,

small pox ( 15 )

Pigs – flu, whooping cough ( 10 )

Dogs – whooping cough ( 5 )

Write down any you get based on your animals!

Technology InvestmentsPeople who are more settled,

with more domesticated animals, are more able to produce technological advances.

Therefore groups with more domestication points will be able to invest in more technology

Technology InvestmentsPeople who move more can’t

carry much with them;Agriculture allows for more

special jobs: some can make food for others, who can specialize;

Larger population = more societies, more probable chance of innovation

Tech. InvestmentsYou can therefore use

domestication points to invest in technology;

How much technology can you get with the points you’ve got?

Some have prerequisites: you need the lower one before you can purchase the upper one. ()

Transfer of TechnologyJust like domesticated animals,

technology can be transferred between groups of people.

Again some of your regions will be placed to more easily transfer technologies between them.

You can communicate with other groups before deciding what to invest in if that will help you.

(cost: 10 ) Hunting Tech (T: 10 )(cost: 15 ) Metallurgy (T: 30 ) (cost: 20 ) Guns (T: 50 )

(cost: 15 ) Writing (T: 35 ) (cost: 20 ) Printing (T: 45 )

(cost: 10 ) Wheel (T: 20 )

◦For wheel, add (T: 30 ) if you have cows, horse, yak, water buffalo, llama, alpaca, or donkey. (so then wheel would = 50)

Transfer Rates:Region 1 Region 3 : 100%

Region 1 Region 2 : 60%

Region 1 Region 5 : 30%

Region 4 Region 6 : 30%

Final Tally:Now, tally your total tech points

(initial investments, plus ones you got through transfer).

Finally, add up your total tech points and your germ/immunity points. This will give a final score of how technologically advanced and how much natural biological weaponry (germs) you have.

Let’s compare our final numbers!Post your final number on the

board!

Region Guessing!The regions you were given are

based on real regions in our world.

The initial plants and animals are what was available to the people initially;

Can you guess which region you were? What do you think the other regions were?

Regions:

1 2

3

45

6

Questions to think about:What would happen if different

groups were to come into contact with these differing numbers (different technology levels)?

Why do the groups end up with different numbers at the end?

Are some groups smarter, more inventive, more motivated? (was it fair?) Why?

Some Important ConceptsTry to see how these concepts

were demonstrated by the simulation:

1. Humans generally domesticate all possible + useful plants and animals in their area

Evidence: No new large animal domestications since 2500 BC

For Plants:

12 species make 80% of world food tonnage: wheat, corn, rice, barley, sorghum, soybean, potato, manioc (casava), sweet potato, sugar cane (world's leading crop), sugar beet, and banana.

Wheat, Rice, and Barley are especially powerful; easily domesticated, large yield early on.

2. Transfer of plants and animals restricted by location, barriers, and also by North-South axis.

Because of climate differences, some growth criteria (especially for plants) could not be met if you travel North or South in the world.

East-West tends to have similar climate though, so much less restriction.

North-South vs. East-West

3. Germs acquired from animals work as weapons when you meet new groups who have no immunity.

(even if you don’t want to hurt the other groups)

4. More domestication and settled life =

Larger population (more people) More specialized jobs (not just

hunting and gathering)Don’t need to carry all objects

with you – can have more and heavier things.

All these lead to more technology development!

What can we learn from this

activity and from GGS?

Basic Conclusion:So, because of random

geography and biological variety in your starting positions, you end up with very different results.

The results are predictable from the start, if you know what resources groups start with and how transfer will work.

These conclusions can help us to avoid using racist or ethnocentric explanations of why some groups have different levels of technology.

It’s NOT because some cultures or people are smarter, more creative, or more inventive than others.