“Environmental determinism” is a term that describes the causal influence that climate and geography have on the course of human history in a region. It is a concept that most historians treat cautiously.
[answer only one of the following, then comment on a classmate’s posting]
- Does “Nine sloughs” seem to make a good case for environmental determinism, or not? Use specific examples and explain your argument one way or the other.
- Consider environmental determinism more broadly. Using a specific event or span of history, describe how using this analytical framework can allow for greater insight or comprehension of history.
- How can environmental determinism lead to a distortion or misuse of evidence and cause misinterpretation of history or even harm? Use a real or hypothetical example.
