Big Picture Questions

1. “The particular cultures and societies of Africa, the Americas, and Pacific Oceania discussed in this chapter developed largely in isolation.” What evidence would support this statement, and what might challenge it?
2. How do you understand areas of the world, such as Bantu Africa, North America, and Pacific Oceania, that did not generate “civilizations”? Do you see them as “backward,” as moving slowly toward civilization, or as simply different?
3. How did Africa’s proximity to Eurasia shape its history? And how did America’s separation from the Eastern Hemisphere affect its development?
4. Looking Back: “The histories of Africa and the Americas during the second-wave era largely resemble those of Eurasia.” Do you agree with this statement? Explain why or why not.