Geography Essay on Guns, Germs, and SteelWhy Did Some Early Civilizations Have prospered and others failed? Jared Diamond, famous author and scientist, explains it in his book Guns, Germs, and Steel. He believes that civilizations like those in Europe flourished because of geographic luck. Geographic luck is the idea that people in certain areas have been luckier than others. For example, the Fertile Crescent had a warm, humid climate and fertile soil for growing wheat and barley, while people in areas like Papua New Guinea had to hunt and forage for food. Geographic luck helped the European empire and was the reason it became so powerful. One of the main reasons Europe has been so successful is agriculture. Another reason they were able to conquer so much of the world was their well-placed civilization. Finally, European weapons, made of steel, were much more advanced than those of the rest of the world, and they came from their good geographical location. Understanding the role of geography in Europe's technological progress is important, and to do so you need to look at how these countries became powerful in the first place, that is, through agriculture and domestication. Agriculture played a huge role in the rapid growth of Europe. Jared Diamond believes that European domestic animals gave them an advantage by providing hides and bones for tools and meat. Because they did not have to hunt for their meat or search for forage to feed themselves, they had more time to devote to creating new inventions and ideas. Pets also helped Europeans develop immunity to smallpox, a disease that devastated other parts of the world. The disease originated in cows, but because Europeans spent so much time with them, their bodies became accustomed to the disease. Domestic...... middle of paper ...... new technology and manipulated into a war and killing device. This is a clear example of how Europe's success was influenced by geographical luck. As you can see, geographic luck was the main reason why Europe was so powerful and able to conquer so much of the world. Agriculture allowed Europeans to form permanent colonies and spend time coming up with new ideas instead of gathering food. This helped them develop immunity to diseases like smallpox. Europe's technology, progress, and superior societies were all due to its geographic location. Its location also helped them develop new metalworking techniques using knowledge passed down from their Fertile Crescent ancestors, and brought them new technologies like gunpowder. Ultimately, Europe's success is due to many factors, but the main one is geographic luck..