Africans Quote by Jared Diamond
“Although native Africans domesticated some plants in the Sahel and in Ethiopia and in tropical West Africa, they acquired valuable domestic animals only later, from the north.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Guns, Germs, and Steel, 1997
The passage notes that while African societies domesticated plants early, they later adopted livestock from northern regions, indicating staggered agricultural development.
In simple terms: Plants came first; animals later from elsewhere.
Key Takeaway
Recognize varied timelines in cultural adoption.
Themes
agriculture
diffusion
technology
trade
history
Mood
informative
thought‑provoking
Type
historical
educational
When to use this quote
- archaeology
- anthropology
- agricultural policy
- education curricula
Key Concepts
domestication
cultural exchange
economic development
Questions to Reflect On
- Why did animal domestication lag behind plant cultivation?
- What factors facilitated later animal adoption?
A Different Perspective
Assumes north‑south diffusion was uniform.
