Explain Jared Diamond's theory about animal domestication and the development of civilizations. What animal
characteristics are needed for a particular species to be domesticated? Discuss how the development of
civilization is tied to the material conditions of the environment (what raw materials are available and how this
impacts community size, nutrition etc.)
Note: there is a difference between intensive agriculture and industrial agriculture although your textbook
doesn't make this very clear. Intensive agriculture has been practiced for about 5000 years. Industrial
agriculture with it's accompanying mechanisms and petroleum products less than 150 years. Discuss how
different agricultural methods impact population size.
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