As did I. I'm gonna assume Tomas or his copy-editor is just overwhelmingly busy (or generically blame AI software ;p) - Happy Holidays Tomas... thanks for the always insightful reads
I've been thinking a lot about why some places didn't have great civilizations. For example, why was the region around Rio de la Plata not the birthplace of a great civilization? Taking into account some of the factors you've mentioned throughout your articles, they have access to navigable rivers and the ocean, they have rich soil, they have great climate and they have countless species (animal and vegetable) that could have been domesticated by mankind. Yet, the native people did none of that. In fact, I think they were still nomads when the Europeans got there. So, why is that? Was there simply no need, due to the overabundance? Was it that humans got there too late? What do you think? The "humans got there too late" doesn't work on Central USA, though, which is pretty similar from my point of view.
2 factors, very connected to the same: the vertical length of America.
Eurasia is horizontal so the climates from Portugal to Japan are very similar. A technology or plant developed in China made it to Europe within a few decades or centuries, and vice-versa.
In America those adapted to the Pacific Northwest were not adapted to the Mexican desert. Those from that desert were not adapted to mesoamerica. Those were not perfectly suited to the Yucatán. Going from the Yucatán to Panama was yet another struggle. Those who made it adapted to mountain landscapes and created the Inca empire. From there you had to adapt again to valleys in order to go to Argentina. And by adaptation I don’t mean just human customs. I mean local flora and fauna and technologies.
Note the dates here: Mesoamerica was basically in high-development mode in the 1500s when the Spaniards arrived. The culture there had mostly 1000 years of history. Incas had less. Civilization would have arrived to Argentina.
The other thing is that there was a budding civilization in the Mississippi basin. Look up Cahokia. But:
- ppl arrive there later
- this is a massive massive area that is easy to move on, so raids were constant
- there are very few other areas close by that are connected yet separated, which would allow for independent kingdoms to emerge
- its north-south, and what works in the Great Lakes doesn’t work in New Orleans.
My guess is if you have 3000 more years to North America, you’d get an equivalent of China emerging there. And you’d get a civilization in Argentina
This is exactly the type of question that caused Jared Diamond to write Guns, Germs, and Steel. As Tomas already pointed out, it all comes down to geography (direction of the landmass and territorial fragmentation due to natural barriers).
Just noting a couple editorial typos in the intro paragraph... "Each articleNormally"... "YouMany"... "we’ve createdwe’re doing"...
Ugh, thank you. Corrected!
As did I. I'm gonna assume Tomas or his copy-editor is just overwhelmingly busy (or generically blame AI software ;p) - Happy Holidays Tomas... thanks for the always insightful reads
It's Tomas, it's Tomas. The editors are preparing the knives.
I've been thinking a lot about why some places didn't have great civilizations. For example, why was the region around Rio de la Plata not the birthplace of a great civilization? Taking into account some of the factors you've mentioned throughout your articles, they have access to navigable rivers and the ocean, they have rich soil, they have great climate and they have countless species (animal and vegetable) that could have been domesticated by mankind. Yet, the native people did none of that. In fact, I think they were still nomads when the Europeans got there. So, why is that? Was there simply no need, due to the overabundance? Was it that humans got there too late? What do you think? The "humans got there too late" doesn't work on Central USA, though, which is pretty similar from my point of view.
2 factors, very connected to the same: the vertical length of America.
Eurasia is horizontal so the climates from Portugal to Japan are very similar. A technology or plant developed in China made it to Europe within a few decades or centuries, and vice-versa.
In America those adapted to the Pacific Northwest were not adapted to the Mexican desert. Those from that desert were not adapted to mesoamerica. Those were not perfectly suited to the Yucatán. Going from the Yucatán to Panama was yet another struggle. Those who made it adapted to mountain landscapes and created the Inca empire. From there you had to adapt again to valleys in order to go to Argentina. And by adaptation I don’t mean just human customs. I mean local flora and fauna and technologies.
Note the dates here: Mesoamerica was basically in high-development mode in the 1500s when the Spaniards arrived. The culture there had mostly 1000 years of history. Incas had less. Civilization would have arrived to Argentina.
The other thing is that there was a budding civilization in the Mississippi basin. Look up Cahokia. But:
- ppl arrive there later
- this is a massive massive area that is easy to move on, so raids were constant
- there are very few other areas close by that are connected yet separated, which would allow for independent kingdoms to emerge
- its north-south, and what works in the Great Lakes doesn’t work in New Orleans.
My guess is if you have 3000 more years to North America, you’d get an equivalent of China emerging there. And you’d get a civilization in Argentina
This is exactly the type of question that caused Jared Diamond to write Guns, Germs, and Steel. As Tomas already pointed out, it all comes down to geography (direction of the landmass and territorial fragmentation due to natural barriers).
So great to see your incredible insights are so popular! Keep up the great work!
You might be interested to know that the Shakespeare authorship controversy has been resolved. https://medium.com/@vicmdatg/influences-in-shakespearean-writing-0ec0d35ad3a5. Have you ever investigated this issue?
Interesting!
No I hadn’t
Thanks to you, Tomás!
We'll stay posted, waiting for more insightful content 😊
Gracias Miguel!
Have to comment advocating for the "How to Design a Religion" theme!! Certainly more important/interesting than all of the AI stuff...
Not more important! Nothing is more important! But maybe more interesting!
Thanks for the interesting stories you wrote. Have nice holidays and looking forward to read you next year.