The Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0393317552.03.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Farming: The Biggest Mistake Ever??? Food production = Hard Work! It often led to: poorer health shorter lifespan harder labor for the majority of people Societies do not develop agriculture unless there is a strong push toward that direction (necessity, hospitable environment and species, etc.) So Why Did People Switch From Hunting and Gathering To Farming?

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 Çatalhöyük (7000 BCE): Remains of a Neolithic village located in modern day 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

Why Mesopotamia First? Why Mesopotamia First? BL=Undomesticated wheat, BR=Change corn (Easier and faster to domesticate wheat than corn)

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 Discussion Point: Main crop growing around town? Why is that? Less plant diversity discussion.

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 Potatoes, quinoa, manioc Llamas, alpaca, guinea pig Mesoamerica Maize, squash (perhaps 7000 B.C.E), beans Turkey Eastern woodlands of North America 2000-1000 Sunflower, goosefoot, sumpweed Guided notes: Include blank map for location of progress

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 Write Down 3! Horse Cow Pig Sheep Goat Chicken Ox Indian Elephant All from Eurasia

What was in the Americas? Only the guinea pig, turkey, and…

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 Why do these occur?

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? Write down at least 2 examples & why!!!

River Valley Civilizations: Called that for a reason! Yes due to ability to irrigate

Eurasian Steppe (grasslands) Yes, abundant grass leads to pastoralism

African Savannah Degradation of grasslands through pastoralism

Inuit Lands Fatty animals fishing

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