The Effects Of Colonization

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Colonization has often been connected with the exploitation of local indigenous populations as the main labor force. However, the degree to which native people are physically impacted usually depends upon the policies of those who are colonizing the region, as well as any local technology available to them. Normally demands such as economic, political, and social are placed on these local inhabitants. Due to this expansion, their regular daily patterns of life are impacted (Wright, 2014:139). Human skeletal remains have the ability to record what our bodies go through during our lifetime; therefore, they are ideal when studying the effects of colonization. Specifically, my research focuses on physical activity, as evidenced by osteoarthritis …show more content…

During this period, city-states such as Athens or Corinth in Greece exerted political and military control over other regions. Often time’s thalassocracies began as ways to control trade routes, piracy and even to stave off foreign invaders (Knapp, 1993:332-333). Some ancient city-states used commercial-type interactions with other societies through ports of trade. More often than not, many of these ports were politically driven; however, many of them were also entrepreneurial centers of trade (Smith, 2004:89). Early Greek colonization of Illyria may have been a way of creating ports of trade in the region. Two of the earliest Greek colonies in Illyria were Epidamnus (established in 627BC), and Apollonia (established c. 600BC) on the coast of the Adriatic Sea (Wright, …show more content…

Colonizers tend to bring methodologies and technologies with them, in their conquest of new lands. Therefore, after Greek colonization of the province many Illyrians changed over from their previous transhumant life to a sedentary one based upon agriculture (Wright, 2014:141). Gilman discusses how this culmination of plow driven farming over subsistence, along with irrigation, offshore fishing, and the Mediterranean’s multi-agricultural societies brought about the end of the egalitarian political economy and the rise of stratified societies (Gilman, 1981:5). Once an intensification of agriculture takes place, a larger labor force is needed to work the fields. The planting of grape vines, and various fruit trees also required a long-term investment since it takes vines up to three years to produce fruit, and olive trees can take 10-15 years (Gilman, 1981:6). Even fishing requires a bit of capital to build and maintain boats (Gilman, 1981:7). Only those with enough monetary means to invest in longstanding commitments would rise to become part of the ruling class. This class would use power, luxury goods, and prestige to become the elites within a society (Gilman,

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