the neolithic revolution and early agricultural societies
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The Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies. http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0393317552.03.LZZZZZZZ.jpg. Farming: The Biggest Mistake???. Food production = Hard Work! It often led to: poorer health shorter lifespan harder labor for the majority of people . - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies
http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0393317552.03.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
Farming:The Biggest Mistake???
• Food production = Hard Work!
• It often led to:– poorer health– shorter lifespan– harder labor for the
majority of people
So Why Did People Switch From Hunting and Gathering To Farming?
Paleolithic EraThe Pre-Farming Era
• Definition: the time before people started doing agriculture
• 2 million BCE – about 10,000 BCE• Literal Meaning: “Old Stone Age” – use of
stone tools
Life of Paleolithic Humans
The Neolithic
RevolutionWhat is this?
Where did it happen?
When did it happen?
WHY did it happen?
Neolithic Era After 10,000 BCE
What?• “Agricultural Revolution” =
domestication of plants & animals
• Literal Meaning: New Stone Age
• The first permanent human settlements emerged
• Still used stone tools• Pottery appears
Catal – Hyuk: A stone-age village in modern Turkey
Where?“Fertile Crescent” (modern day Iraq)
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
The area around these rivers is known to history as Mesopotamia
• End of Last Ice Age
• Warming Climate
• Wild grasses abundant ~Wild Grasses closest to domesticated varieties
How did Agriculture Develop?
• Availability of calories determines how people get food
• End of ice age Plants thriving• Humans began “helping” plants along and
selecting for traits, to increase calories gathered
• Certain plants were abundant and provided many calories=Humans actively chose these– Wheat
Where & When?Location Dates (B.C.E) Plants Animals
Southwest Asia (Fertile Crescent)
9000-7000 Barley, wheat, lentils, figs
Goats, sheep, cattle, pigs
China 6500-5000 Rice, millet, soybeans Pigs, chickens, water buffalo
Saharan and Sub-Saharan Africa
3000-2000 Sorghum, millet, yams, teff
Cattle (perhaps 8000 B.C.E)
Highland New Guinea 7000-4000 Taro, bananas, yams, sugarcane
Andes region 3000-2000 Potatoes, quinoa, manioc
Llamas, alpaca, guinea pig
Mesoamerica 3000-2000 Maize, squash (perhaps 7000 B.C.E), beans
Turkey
Eastern woodlands of North America
2000-1000 Sunflower, goosefoot, sumpweed
What else is needed for a Neolithic Revolution?
• Animal Domestication – what is it?– An animal will breed where and when we want
it to and often. It will come to us for food. It is not aggressive.
• Examples?
Important Domesticated Animals• Horse• Cow• Pig• Sheep• Goat• Chicken• Ox• Indian Elephant
• All from Eurasia
What was in the Americas?
Only the guinea pig, turkey, and…
llamasong.flv
So What?
What does the Neolithic Revolution allow?:– A sedentary lifestyle– The need for cooperation and group effort– Job specialization – Social Hierarchies (Social classes)– Patriarchy (Rule by males)– Population Growth
Results for Agricultural Society• Now that you have
possessions, what do you have to do?
• Kings- to direct• Militaries – to
protect• Priests – to protect
and record (BUREAUCRATS)
• Scribes and writing – to protect and keep accounts
• Artisans- make storage vessels (pottery)
Did Everyone Switch?
NO!• Who Didn’t? • Why Not?
River Valley Civilizations:Called that for a reason!
Eurasian Steppe
(grasslands)
African Savannah
Inuit Lands