Agriculture: Deliberate modification of Earth’s surface through cultivation of plants and rearing of animals to obtain sustenance or economic gain. Began when humans domesticated animals and plants for their use. Crop: any plant cultivated by people Cultivate means “to care for”

Hunters and Gatherers: Today: 250,000 still survive using this method…extremely isolated, on the periphery: Arctic, interiors of Africa, Australia, and South America Food for survival from hunting and gathering plants. (Paleolithic Era) Small groups of 50 people, collected daily men > hunt …women > gathered…evolution of our bodies??? Migrated frequently Conflict with other groups’ territory kept people apart…sound familiar?

Carl Sauer and Agricultural Hearths Saur claimed vegetative planting happened first, and then seed agriculture. In your notes: Divide your paper into a T-chart. Write Vegetative Planting on one side, and Seed Agriculture on the other. Read pg. 329-330 about each and look at the maps at the top of pages 330 and 331. Take notes on both sides. Identify the hearth areas and explain how each type diffused. Carl Ortwin Sauer (December 24, 1889 – July 18, 1975) was an American geographer and professor  at the University of California at Berkeley.

Two Types of Cultivation: Vegetative Planting Vegetative Planting is the reproduction of plants using existing plants, such as cutting stems or dividing roots.

Seed Agriculture Seed Agriculture: reproduction of plants through annual planting of seeds that result from fertilization. Most commonly practiced today

Vegetative Planting Hearths

Location of 1st Vegetative Planting Saur says vegetative stated in SE Asia Climate the topography encouraged plants suitable Taro and yam, bananas and palm were probably 1st domesticated plants Dog, pig, chicken were domesticated in SE Asia West Africa and NW South America

Seed Agricultural Hearths

Diffusion of Seed Agriculture Seed agriculture diffused from SW Asia across Europe and through N Africa. Rice has an unknown hearth. Sauer identified a third independent hearth in Ethiopia—millet and sorghum Argued that agricultural advances in Ethiopia did not diffuse widely to other locations

Classifying Agricultural Regions: LDC’s vs. MDC’s Subsistence Ag: Production of food for consumption LDC Commercial Ag: Production of food for sale MDC Look at the bullet points on pg. 331: What are the 5 main distinctions between subsistence and commercial?

Labor Force in Agriculture

Relationship of Farming to Other Businesses Commercial farming—AGRIBUSINESS—integrated into a large food production industry Farmers are less than 2% of US labor force and more than 20% work in food production related to agribusiness—processing, packaging, storing, distributing, retailing

Agricultural Revolutions 1st Agricultural Revolution (10,000BCE to 2000BCE) Neolithic Revolution Knowledge of seeds and animal domestication Diffusion of agriculture 2nd Agricultural Revolution (17th to 19th century) Coincides with the Industrial Revolution Use of machines and steam technology. Mass production begins. 3rd Agricultural Revolution (1960’s to now) Use of science!!! Green Revolution Pesticides, herbicides Fertilizer Hybrids

1st Agricultural Revolution Carl Saur Agriculture would flourish in the land of plenty Fertile Crescent Labor intensive crop growth and animal domestication

2nd Agricultural Revolution Coincided with Industrial Revolution (1750-1900) Need more food to feed more workers (TECHNOLOGY) Supported by governments Enclosure Acts—enforced the increase in size of farms…basically created big farms Increased productivity—increased market area (TRANSPORTATION) More people left farms and moved to urban areas to fulfill industry demands for workers

3rd Agricultural Revolution Green Revolution (biotechnology, genetic engineering, use of chemical fertilizers Dates back to 1930s Manipulation of seeds to increase yields 1960s—How can we grow more food for people in India and Africa Corn, wheat, rice (double or triple cropping) Decreased famine Evolution of modern supermarket

Agricultural Revolutions Primary effects: Secondary effects: Urbanization Social stratification (?) Occupational specialization Increased population densities Secondary effects: Endemic diseases (?) Famine