Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Success of Colonialism and the Limitations of Imperialism
Directions: Before viewing the film, read each question below so you know what information and ideas you should be looking for as you watch Episode 2: Conquest, and Episode 3: Into the Tropics. Record your answers by providing as many facts, details, and examples as possible to answer each question. Be prepared to discuss your answers with the class.
Episode 2: Conquest
THE BIGGEST SHIFT OF POPULATION IN MODERN TIMES has been the colonization of the New World by Europeans, and the resulting conquest, numerical reduction, or complete disappearance of most groups of Native Americans (American Indians)… Soldier of fortune Francisco Pizarro set out for Peru to secure the pagan kingdom of the Incas for Charles V of Spain and the Catholic Church. Accompanied by 168 soldiers, Pizarro disembarked confidently. As the conquistadores, wearing shining armor and mounted on horses, rode inland from the sea toward the Inca city of Cajamarca, they were greeted along the way by awestruck natives. In Cajamarca, Pizarro was to meet with Atahuallpa, the tyrannical Inca ruler. After a cultural misunderstanding, Pizarro’s men charged a numerically superior army of Incas, and what ensued was one of the most one-sided battles in history…
1. Why do you think Atahuallpa drastically underestimated the danger when he invited the Spaniards to meet him at Cajamarca?
2. What beliefs and recent events put the Incas at a disadvantage at that time?
3. How did the battle tactics used by the Spanish conquistadors help the small army defeat the Inca army that outnumbered it by the thousands?
4. Why did the Spanish pass their diseases onto the Native Americans, and not [so much] the other way around?
5. According to Diamond, what made the Europeans “accidental conquerors”? Explain.
Episode 3: Into the Tropics
1. According to Diamond, what is the one factor that allowed Europeans to develop the forces necessary to conquer vast portions of the world?
2. Why were the Europeans who settled the South African cape so successful? Give TWO reasons.
3. How did disease allow the Europeans to conquer the native populations in the Americas and in the African cape?
4. While the Europeans who were attempting to overtake/settle the tropical areas of the African continent were responsible for introducing killer germs to the native populations, they also suffered from the effects of the germs native to this part of the world. Describe how these germs worked against the European settlers.
5. How did the native Africans protected themselves from the germs that caused diseases such as Smallpox and Malaria? Give specific examples cited in the film.
6. How has the colonization of Africa created countries riddled with disease? Give specific examples from the film.
7. What is the number one public health problem in Zambia, and who are the people primarily affected by this?
8. How has disease contributed to the poverty in many African countries such as Zambia?
9. According to statistics from the film, how has Malaria effected the net growth in Africa over the last 50 years?
10. Describe how other tropical countries such as Malaysia and Singapore have developed rich economies despite having many of the same geographical and health problems faced by African nations.
11. After reading “The Story of Smallpox and Other Eurasian Germs” (online), describe what you have learned about Smallpox including the 1) causes, 2) symptoms, 3) means for spreading the disease, and 4) how immunity to the disease can be developed.
12. After reading “The Story of Malaria and Other Deadly Tropical Germs”(online), what are some of the effective, simple, relatively inexpensive ways to prevent the spread of diseases such as Malaria? In your opinion, why are these options not being used more widely by African nations? Explain fully.