Jared Diamond attempts to answer Yali's question of why some societies developed advanced technologies while others did not by examining environmental and geographic factors. Some key points: - Domesticable plants and animals first emerged in different parts of the world, giving some regions an early advantage. - Eurasia's east-west axis allowed crops and technologies to spread more easily compared to the Americas' north-south axis, which faced more environmental barriers. - Written language also developed first in Eurasia, aiding record-keeping and administration as societies grew more complex. - Dense populations in places like the Fertile Crescent and China facilitated additional innovations building upon previous technologies over generations.

1. GUNS GERMS AND STEEL THE FATES OF HUMAN SOCIETIES JARED DIAMOND

4. FROM EDEN TO CAJAMARCA

8. Francisco Pizarro

10. Funeral of Atahualpa

11. THE RISE AND SPREAD OF FOOD PRODUCTION

12. This diagram gives a schematic overview of factors from ultimate to proximate which led to the dominance of present day Western cultures. Eurasia’s East-West axis gave it an advantage for spreading crops, farm animals and new technologies.

18. FROM FOOD TO GUNS GERMS AND STEEL

23. AROUND THE WORLD IN FIVE CHAPTERS

26. Thank you