People who faced daily danger of extinction often believed that only divine intervention could ensure their survival. They saw divine will as the ultimate factor that allowed them to live through difficult circumstances, regardless of how humble their lives were.
Maya Angelou notes that as people become more affluent and their lifestyles improve, they tend to blame less on divine will and more on human effort. In poorer conditions, God's role is emphasized, but as prosperity grows, divine responsibility is seen to diminish proportionally, shifting focus from divine power to human achievement.