Easter Island Analysis Questions
1. What is unique about Easter Island location?
2. Describe what the first European explorers found when they first encountered the island?
3. How has Easter Islands flora changed over time? Why?
4. How has the population changed over time? Why?
5. How do scientists know that many species of extinct plants and trees used to live on the island?
6. How did the absence of trees affect the soil? Drinking water? Agriculture?
7. Archaeologist David Steadman analyzed 6500 bones and determined almost all the 31 bird species that once lived on Easter Island are gone. Why do you think that is?
8. Do you think the Easter Islanders placed an appropriate value on their trees and natural resources? How could they have convinced each other to change their behavior before the disaster?
9. Planet earth, like Easter Island, has limited resources. The Easter Island inhabitants could have seen the depletion of resources as they lived on a small island, but they could not stop consuming. Do you think people alive could/would slow their consumption if they had evidence similar to that seen by Easter Island inhabitants?
10. Compare the story of Easter Island to Hardin’s Tragedy of the Commons.
Easter Island Analysis Questions
1. What is unique about Easter Island location?
2. Describe what the first European explorers found when they first encountered the island?
3. How has Easter Islands flora changed over time? Why?
4. How has the population changed over time? Why?
5. How do scientists know that many species of extinct plants and trees used to live on the island?
6. How did the absence of trees affect the soil? Drinking water? Agriculture?
7. Archaeologist David Steadman analyzed 6500 bones and determined almost all the 31 bird species that once lived on Easter Island are gone. Why do you think that is?
8. Do you think the Easter Islanders placed an appropriate value on their trees and natural resources? How could they have convinced each other to change their behavior before the disaster?
9. Planet earth, like Easter Island, has limited resources. The Easter Island inhabitants could have seen the depletion of resources as they lived on a small island, but they could not stop consuming. Do you think people alive could/would slow their consumption if they had evidence similar to that seen by Easter Island inhabitants?
10. Compare the story of Easter Island to Hardin’s Tragedy of the Commons.