The quote above basically means that people are the way they are because they are at the mercy of circumstances beyond their control, which forces them adapt to those circumstances. Adaptation like this has happened many times in history, in places as different as 17th century Jamestown, the Mongol Empire, and Britain during World War II.
By adapting to their circumstances and growing tobacco, Jamestown went from a struggling settlement to thriving as one of the richest townships in North America. Jamestown was the first permanent colony on the North American continent, and one of the most important. During its early years, it almost collapsed: in the winter of 1609, also known as the “Starving Time”, approximately “80-90% [of the settlers]… …show more content…
The Mongols, at one time, was a small group of nomadic tribesman in central Asia. They briefly became a kingdom by “defeating neighboring nomads and forcing the Jin Empire of Northern China to pay tribute,” but it was later defeated by another nomadic tribe and “the Mongol clans…became disunited and fought amongst themselves.” (“The Mongol Empire”) Eventually, the Mongols did unify once more, under the leadership of Temujin, who eventually became known as Genghis, or Chinggus, Khan. In a few decades, the tribe became the largest contiguous land empire of all time. They did this by turning their circumstances to their advantage. The Mongols were nomads that lived on the steppes, or grasslands: they have been there for generations. The steppes allowed them to raise a massive army of horses, which they were already proficient in using as nomadic hunters. As hunter they were also very proficient in using a compound bow, which served to make every Mongol an effective soldier in ranged combat. Their horsemanship and proficiency in the compound …show more content…
Animals adapt to their environment to survive: giraffes got their long necks to reach food other animals couldn’t. Like animals, humans have adapted to their environment and their circumstances several times, typically out of a desire to better their situation: residents of Jamestown took advantage of the fresh land to plant cash crops. The Mongols used the steppes and their hunting prowess to raise an army of horses and become an effective military force. Citizens on the British home front of World War II left for the country to escape bombers, joined auxiliary corps, and carried gas masks, as they went about their daily lives. “I was a victim of a series of accidents, as are we