Problem: Physical Materials or Ideas: Which was more important? Based on early pre-colonial and colonial history (covered in modules through 9/8), were physical materials or ideas more impactful to people's lives? Physical materials are any of the "things" that we can experience physically. Germs are experienced physically via health or sickness. Food, tools, clothes, shelter, and money are physical materials, as is nature and our environment. Ideas would include social norms, cultural values, ideologies, religions/spiritual ideas, as well as ideas about race, gender, age, ability, etc.