History took different paths for different people because of the environment, not due to biological difference among people. I think there is no such thing as a superior race or superior country. The food production, domestication of animals, availability of land, trade, and colonization was the key to a successful civilization. The countries that seem to be developed today are above the the Tropics of Cancer. We can support this argument with examples of various countries like America which is a vast country with a variety of resources that are useful such as a large amount of water and vacant land and in Euro- Asia there is flat land and a variety of natural resources, like oil, that have helped them become technologically and economically better. On the other hand in Papua New Guinea people have tried to domesticate wild, ferocious animals and failed and cannot plant many useful crops on their land.
The countries above the Tropics of Cancer are wealthier than others because of the species of animals that can be domesticated there, like goat, sheep, and cattle. When the people from England defied the British rule and came to America, they brought with them cattle, which turned out to be a very useful resource. In England the abundance of sheep made them dominant in the wool industry. In Middle East oil available makes them a wealthier country. Large land and more crops help growth of population. Successful farming is dependent on dirt that is fertile. This was a conflict for people who did not live in a land that was fertile. Americans grew tobacco, sugar, cotton, rice, sugar cane, and coffee with the use of slave labor, in its vast, fertile and vacant land. European countries grew crops such as potatoes, wheat, and barely. In countries where there is less agricultural land they cannot grow staple crops. For example in Papua New Guinea, the people eat sago for it is plentiful in their land, but has less protein and is not as nutritious as barely and wheat. Advanced culture developed in areas where there was flat, fertile land as in Mesopotamian civilization or any other early civilizations. The location of these countries above the Tropic of Cancer gave rise to many trade routes and made exchanging of goods between different countries easier.
The other reason for these nations to become wealthier was colonization. Colonization increased the pace of advancement of European countries. New land discoveries made by explorers like Columbus added to the wealth and advancement. European countries became powerful from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, because of money, natural resources, and slaves from colonies. England colonized most of America, India, West Indes, and Africa. Slave trade in America led to more production of agricultural goods and market revolution. Also technical advancement and wealth of these nations made it easier for them to colonize other countries and use their natural resources.
In conclusion, civilization developed not because of intelligence but due to chain developments that was made possible by certain conditions. The biological difference was irrelevant to the rise of power from the countries above the Tropics of Cancer. The conditions of the countries from the same region of the top half-hemisphere of the world ensured a better survival and a convenient way of life. My hypothesis is the key to advancement was the geographical location and the abundance of natural resources both animal and plant life, colonization, and slave labour that enabled more productivity and wealth.
 |
| The Tropic of Cancer www.worldsbestbeachtowns.com/bea...-bahamas |
 |
| Slave Trade www1.american.edu/ted/slave.htm |
 |
| Mesopotamian Civilization history.howstuffworks.com/asian-...amia.htm |
