Study Assignment

Little Things Mean a Lot – Biological Exchange and History

2-3 page essay, double-spaced

            In the past few decades, historians have been paying more and more attention to the role of biological exchange in human history. Biological exchange generally means the movement of biological entities (animals, plants, bacteria, viruses, etc.) from one part of the world to another, particularly the introduction of new species into areas that never had them before. This includes the spread of diseases across large distances, the use of new plant crops, and the introduction of animal products to new markets.

            Explain the role that biological exchange had on historical events in Eurasia in the time period covered in this chapter (about 200 BCE to 500 BCE). For example, how was the spread of disease a factor in in the history of the Han and Roman Empires?

            Also, explain how human activity was a factor in biological exchange. What sorts of things did humans do to influence the spread of organisms to new places? In what ways was biological exchange a conscious goal of human societies, and in what ways was it accidental?

            As a historian, how would you explain the fact that earlier generations of history textbooks hardly mentioned disease or any biological factors at all? What might be responsible for some of this previous “blind spot”?