View a FREE sample

Prologue

• Societies developed differently around the world and at different times.

• Societies developed agriculture and metal tools at different times.

• As a result of this differing development, wealth and power are unevenly distributed.

• Diamond doesn't believe that the traditional explanations, including biological ones, answer the question of why societies developed at different times.

• He doesn't believe that intelligence differences explain the unequal power and wealth.

Chapter 1 "Up to the Starting Line"

• Humans began an evolutionary path different from chimps and gorillas beginning about 7 million years ago.

• For millions of years, humans were confined to Africa before they began moving to other parts of the world.

• The Great Leap Forward took place about 50,000 years ago.

• The Great Leap Forward occurred at the same time as the first major expansion of humans, including to Australia and New Guinea.

• Humans also colonized the Americas between 14,000 and 35,000 years ago.

• The...

(read more Chapter Abstracts)

This section contains 1,412 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample