Lecture Notes: The Collision of the Old World and New World

Introduction

• Date: November 1532
• Event: Collision between 168 Spaniards and the Inca Empire in Peru.
• Outcome: Spanish massacre of 7,000 Inca people and the capture of their leader without Spanish casualties.
• Key Question: Why was the power so uneven between the Old and New World? Why did Europeans conquer so much of the globe?

Jared Diamond's Theory

• Professor Jared Diamond explores the roots of power.
• He proposes geography as the key factor influencing cultural advancement.
• Geography determines the availability of resources like crops and domestic animals, impacting cultural development.

Historical Context

• Spanish Conquistadors:

  • Led by Francisco Pizarro, a retired army captain.
  • Not professional soldiers, but mercenaries and adventurers.
  • Sought gold and glory, leading them into the Inca Empire in the Andes.

• Inca Empire:

  • Stretched from modern-day Ecuador to central Chile.
  • At the time, Spain had extensive European and colonial possessions.

Geography's Role

• Farming and Agriculture:
  • Agricultural productivity in Europe was enhanced by livestock not native to the New World.
  • The Fertile Crescent as the origin of productive crops and animals that spread to Europe.
  • European Advantages: Horses provided mobility and military advantages.

Cultural Encounter

• Inca Perception: Spaniards seen as gods due to their appearance and horses.
• Military Technology:
  • Spanish used advanced weaponry like the harquebus and steel swords.
  • European steel swords (rapiers) were superior due to advanced metallurgy.

Writing and Knowledge Transmission

• Development of Writing:
  • Originated independently in the Fertile Crescent.
  • Printing technology furthered knowledge spread in Europe.
  • The geographic layout of Europe (east-west axis) facilitated the spread of ideas versus the north-south axis of the Americas.

The Conquest

• Pizarro's Strategy:
  • Pizarro's tactical use of surprise attacks, similar to Cortez's conquest of the Aztecs.
  • Played on Inca misunderstandings and lack of comparable military technology.

Disease and Germs

• Role of Epidemics:
  • Smallpox spread by Spaniards decimated Inca populations.
  • Europeans had immunity from centuries of exposure to diseases from domestic animals.
  • Lack of domesticated animals in the Americas meant fewer diseases and no immunity.

Aftermath of Cajamarca

• Atahuallpa's Capture:

  • Atahuallpa was used to control his people and eventually executed.
  • Inca Empire fell to Spanish control.

• Impact on World History:

  • Spanish wealth from American gold and silver transformed Spain into a major power.
  • European dominance, facilitated by geographic advantages, led to widespread colonization by the end of the 19th century.

Conclusion

• European conquest was not due to inherent traits but geographic and historical advantages.
• The patterns set by Pizarro's conquest marked the beginning of global European colonization.