Do you agree with jared diamond when he says of a civilizations ability to gain power, wealth, and strength, "…what's far more important is the hand that people have been dealt, the raw materials they've had at their disposal." why or why not?

I tend to find that I agree. It really does depend on where you live though. If you do not have regular access to animals and farmland, you would find it very hard to be as successful as those people who do have regular access and knowledge of that.