Humans and the origins of society

Question 1

how old are humans

Answer 1

200,000 years old

Question 2

where is considered to be the birthplace of mankind

Answer 2

africa

Question 3

what were the 2 main species of humans

Answer 3

australopithecus and homo erectus

Question 4

how old are Australopithecu

Answer 4

1.8million years old

Question 5

how old are homo erectus

Answer 5

400,00-500,000

Question 6

what is the current human species

Answer 6

homo sapiens

Question 7

how old are homo sapiens

Answer 7

200,000 years

Question 8

what is environmental determinism

Answer 8

environmental determinism is the idea that the environment determines society particularly responsible for inequalities and the progression of certain places due to their environment

Question 9

what are hunter gathers

Answer 9

societies that rely on gathering, or foraging. involved a certain mode of production that is self contained yet reliant on their environment.

Question 10

when did colonialism start

Answer 10

1940s era

Question 11

what is are 3 counter arguments for environmental determinism

Answer 11

• before colonialism, many areas had similar levels of progression
• societies progressed then regressed such as the greeks.
• environmental possibilism

Question 12

what is environmental possibilism

Answer 12

this is the idea that humans control their development of culture and that the environment allows various possibilities for the culture

Question 13

up until how many years ago did all humans live as hunter gatherers

Answer 13

10,000

Question 14

2 examples of hunter gathers around today and where

Answer 14

inuit - canada

semang - malaysia

Question 15

exchange relationships in hunter gathers are known as

Answer 15

primitive communism

Question 16

two main ways of exchange within hunter gather

Answer 16

generalised reciprocity

balanced reciprocity

Question 17

what is generalised reciprocity

Answer 17

form of exchange based on the assumptions that ruturns will even out in the long term

Question 18

balanced reciprocity

Answer 18

exchange of good where a value is attached to an item and something of equal value is expected in return

Question 19

what was the alternative to hunter gatherer

Answer 19

agricultural societies

Question 20

where is thought that agriculture first appeared

Answer 20

fertile crescent in the middle east, 7-6,000BC

Question 21

two main ideas behind the rise in agriculture

Answer 21

experimentation

meeting demand to on resources

Question 22

why was there an increase in demand on on resources leading to the rise in agriculture

Answer 22

climatic change- cold snap occurring around 13,300 years ago

population growth- sudden growth in population caused increase in demand for food

Question 23

what were agricultural societies heavily reliant on

Answer 23

the domestication of animals such as wolves and horses

Question 24

what did agriculture cause

Answer 24

a permanent surplus of food.

Question 25

what did agriculture and a permanent surplus of food cause

Answer 25

- People irreversibly changed the natural environment. - The production of surplus enabled a division of labour. - Societies became organised in hierarchical structures with people engaged in new activities: teachers, rulers and warriors.

Question 26

what did jared diamond argue

Answer 26

Argues environment determines society, geography was the key factor that made the Europeans successful due particular distribution of plants and animals.

Question 27

What is jared diamonds book called and what the date

Answer 27

guns germs and steel 1997

Question 28

what are the two key arguments diamond 1997 makes

Answer 28

- Indigenous plant species enabled certain parts of the world to develop agricultural societies. - If you live in an agricultural society, diseases are more likely to spread, one can build immunity and spread diseases elsewhere.

Question 29

is blaut book written piece called and year

Answer 29

environmentalism and eurocentrism 1999

Question 30

what are the two main critics of diamonds arguments made by blaut 1999

Answer 30

- Jared diamond ignores the process of colonialism - Eurocentric - Too crude and generalising - Neglects choice