Ecological Imperialism: The Biological Expansion of Europe, 900-1900 (Studies in Environment and History)

People of European descent form the bulk of the population in most of the temperate zones of the world - North America, Australia and New Zealand. The military successes of European imperialism are easy to explain; in many cases they were a matter of firearms against spears. But, as Alfred Crosby maintains in this highly original and fascinating book, the Europeans' displacement and replacement of the native peoples in the temperate zones was more a matter of biology than of military conquest. European organisms had certain decisive advantages over their New World and Australian counterparts. The spread of European disease, flora, and fauna went hand in hand with the growth of populations. Consequently, these imperialists became proprietors of the world's most important agricultural lands. Now in a second edition with a new preface, Crosby revisits his now-classic work and again evaluates the global historical importance of European ecological expansion. People of European descent form the bulk of the population in most of the temperate zones of the world--North America, Australia and New Zealand. The military successes of European imperialism are easy to explain because in many cases they were achieved by using firearms against spears. Alfred Crosby, however, explains that the Europeans' displacement and replacement of the native peoples in the temperate zones was more a matter of biology than of military conquest. Now in a new edition with a new preface, Crosby revisits his classic work and again evaluates the ecological reasons for European expansion. Alfred W. Crosby is the author of the widely popular and ground-breaking books,The Measure of Reality (Cambridge, 1996), and America's Forgotten Pandemic (Cambridge, 1990). His books have received the Ralph Waldo Emerson Prize, the Medical Writers Association Prize and been named by the Los Angeles Times as among the best books of the year. He taught at the University of Texas, Austin for over 20 years. First Edition Hb (1986): 0-521-32009-7 First Edition Pb (1987): 0-521-33613-9 People of European descent form the bulk of the population in most of the temperate zones of the world -- North America, Australia, and New Zealand. The military successes of European imperialism are easy to explain; in many cases they were a matter of firearms against spears. But as Alfred Crosby explains in this highly original and fascinating book, the Europeans' displacement and replacement of the native peoples in the temperate zones was more a matter of biology than of military conquest. European organisms had certain decisive advantages over their New World and Australian counterparts. The spread of European disease, flora, and fauna went hand in hand with the growth of populations. Consequently, these imperialists became proprietors of the most important agricultural lands in the world. Now a new edition with a new preface, Crosby revisits his now classic work and again evaluates the global historical importance of European ecological expansion. 1. Prologue 2. Pangaea revisited, the Neolithic reconsidered 3. The Norse and the Crusaders 4. The Fortunate Isles 5. Winds 6. Within reach, beyond grasp 7. Weeds 8. Animals 9. Ills 10. New Zealand 11. Explanations 12. Conclusion. Crosby argues that the expansion of European culture and genetic stock was a function of ecology and biology over time rather than a result of quick and painful conquests. Alred W. Crosby. New Edition -- Cover. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 312-360) And Index. EUROPEAN EMIGRANTS and their descendants are all over the place, which requires explanation.