There Is An Old Adage That Says That The Three Most Importan ✓ Solved

There Is An Old Adage That Says That the Three Most Important Factors

There is an old adage that says that the three most important factors in the real estate market are "location, location, location." In episode one of Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond makes the case for location as the decisive factor in shaping the destiny of civilizations. Some have criticized Diamond's analysis for being overly deterministic--essentially for arguing that the triumph of certain civilizations was inevitable due to geography. Do you believe that history is basically determined by factors, like geography, that are beyond the control of individuals? Or rather do you believe that individual decisions and individual actions have a greater effect on the course of history and the rise and fall of civilizations?

Compose a 300-word essay in which you explain your own opinion. Please use examples from Guns, Germs, and Steel or the books or lectures from this class to support your opinion.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

The debate over whether history is primarily shaped by geographical determinism or individual agency has long been discussed among scholars, with Jared Diamond’s "Guns, Germs, and Steel" representing a prominent example of the former perspective. Diamond argues that geography, such as the availability of domesticable plants and animals, significantly influenced the development of civilizations. For instance, societies in Eurasia benefited from east-west axes facilitating the spread of crops and technology, whereas the Americas faced barriers due to north-south orientations. This suggests that environmental factors can set the stage for societal trajectories that are difficult for individuals to alter.

However, while geography undoubtedly provides a framework within which history unfolds, it does not wholly determine outcomes. Individual decisions, leadership, innovation, and cultural choices also shape civilizations’ fates. For example, the decision of European explorers to embark on voyages of discovery dramatically changed the course of history, leading to colonization and global interconnectedness. Similarly, the rise of the Aztec Empire was driven not solely by geographical advantage but also by strategic decisions and leadership. Additionally, the Industrial Revolution exemplifies human agency; despite resource constraints, innovations in science and technology emerged through individual inventors’ efforts, transforming societies worldwide.

Ultimately, history is a complex interplay between environmental constraints and human agency. Diamond’s emphasis on geographical factors highlights crucial elements that influence societal development, but it underestimates the role of individual decisions in shaping human history. Both elements are essential to understanding the rise and fall of civilizations—geography provides the backdrop, but it is human agency that writes the story’s chapters.

References

• Diamond, J. (1997). Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Ferguson, N. (2011). Civilization: The West and the Rest. Penguin Press.
• McNeill, W. H. (1992). The Rise of the West: A History of the Human Community. University of Chicago Press.
• Sachs, J. D. (2005). The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time. Penguin Books.
• Diamond, J. (2019). Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis. Little, Brown and Company.
• Harari, Y. N. (2014). Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. Harper.
• Acemoglu, D., & Robinson, J. (2012). Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. Crown Business.
• Marx, K., & Engels, F. (1848). The Communist Manifesto. Penguin Classics.
• Hobsbawm, E. (1994). Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century. Vintage.
• Rodrik, D. (2018). Straight Talk on Trade: Ideas for a Sane World Economy. Princeton University Press.