Over time, individuals immigrate in the hopes of starting a better life in a place where they and their families can thrive and build a better future. However, in some cases, some barriers arise that prevent people from immigrating, and one of these barriers could be disease. In this case, William McNeill, an influential world historian, argues that disease in Southern China slowed down immigration from Northern China in his book Plagues and Peoples. I argue that McNeill presents a convincing argument, as he presents the reader with advantages of immigrating to Southern China, which were eventually overshadowed by disease, while providing valid reasons, such as climate differences, as to why disease came about and why it was more prevalent in Southern China.
McNeill discusses the perks of residing in Southern China in comparison with Northern China, and the benefits that are associated with migrating to Southern China in a persuasive manner. He talks about how the “Agricultural conditions favoured settlement, since milder climates meant longer growing season, and more abundant rainfall removed the risk…show more content… 102) which infers that the favorable, convenient climate in the Southern area of China immensely increased the appeal of immigration. This is due to the fact that it played a big role in Chinese society back then, as a large percentage of the population consisted of farmers and agriculturists. Also, the “disasters” created by the Yellow River in Northern China were pretty much non-existent in the south since “the Yangtze river passes through lakes after it emerges from the mountains of the west [meaning] that no troublesome quantities of sediment clog its lower reaches.” This made it a lot easier for farmers to utilize the land without any restrictions from riverbed build up, which, as a result, maximized the yield of crops. By providing this information, McNeill is showcasing the many advantages that come with moving to the
