Patterns of Settlements

Rural Settlement Patterns: Dispersed Settlement: Individuals living in farms that lie far apart from one another. Nucleated Settlement: Villages located close together with relatively small agricultural fields. Hamlets: Small clusters of buildings Villages: Slightly Larger buildings.

Building Materials Wood Brick Stone Grass and Bush Wattle

Village Types

Land Ownership and Survey Techniques

A practice where all land falls to the eldest son. This results in land parcels that are large and controlled individually. Primogeniture Used in the US to encourage settlers to disperse evenly across the Midwest. Rectangular Survey System (Township and Range) Natural Features are used to mark irregular parcels of land. Used on the US East Coast Metes and Bounds System Divides land into narrow parcels that extend from rivers, roads or canals. One example are plantation plots of old Southern plantations. Long-Lot Survey System

Rectangular Lots Metes and Bounds

Long Lots Survey System Found in French Canada, Ireland, Central Europe

Commercial Agriculture

History Modern commercial agriculture through mercantillism. Mercantillism: Private companies were given charters by the crown to conduct trade.

The Third Agricultural Revolution Began in the late 20th century. Characterized by the industrialization of agriculture, biotechnology, and the Green Revolution.

What is a the green revolution?

The Green Revolution involved the practice of using higher yield seeds and expanded use of fertilizers to increase production.

Praise Agriculture now outpaces population. Nitrogen-based fertilizers increase farm productivity. Scientists continue to invent new food sources. Higher productivity reduces dependency on imports in places such as China and India New Irrigation have increased crop yields. Agribusiness has increased the productivity of cash crops

Criticism Poor countries cannot afford the machinery Farmers in poor countries cannot afford the fertilizers – which also can lead to groundwater pollution. Many fishing areas are over-fished. In Sub-Saharan Africa, population is still growing faster than food. Irrigation has led to serious groundwater depletion. Agribusiness means that land is devoted to raising one crop.

Impacts Erosion Changes in the Soil Content Depletion of Natural Vegetation Chemicals in ground Water

Future Food Expansion of Land Increase in Productivity New Food Sources Improved Distribution