During the last two weeks, we've covered the social, cultural, political, and economic dimensions of the Age of Exploration. Next week we turn to environmental, climactic considerations of this age of contact.
We'll spend quite a bit of time reading, discussing, and watching documentary clips related to Jared Diamond's award-winning book Guns, Germs, and Steel. Diamond's thesis is provocative and controversial, but challenging and thoughtful as well.
Thus, by the end of the week we will chart out the Age of Exploration through its social, cultural, political, economic, and environmental dimensions.
Before Monday, read about and be able to identify the 5 variables that are integral to Diamond's thesis. (Bring your notes on these variables to class on Monday.) As for the documentary, we'll spend some time viewing episodes 2 and 3. By week's end we'll take a look at the world, its climatic zones, and those zones' effects on history.
For more on Diamond, his work, and his teaching, check out this interview from the journal World History Connected. The first part of the interview deals with the reception of Guns, Germs, and Steel among readers--including high schoolers--as well as research, writing, and teaching. Leave your thoughts in the comments section.
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