AP Human Geography Origins and Diffusion of Agriculture Spring 2015 Origins and Diffusion of Agriculture Spring 2015

What is agriculture? Agriculture is “a science, art, and a business directed at the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock for sustenance and profit.”

Categories of economic activities  Primary activities- harvest or extract something from the earth, e.g., agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining, hunting & gathering  Secondary activities- add value to materials by changing their form or combining them into more useful products, e.g., manufacturing  Primary activities- harvest or extract something from the earth, e.g., agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining, hunting & gathering  Secondary activities- add value to materials by changing their form or combining them into more useful products, e.g., manufacturing

Economic activities  Tertiary activities- involve the provision of services, e.g., financial, business, professional, clerical, personal,etc.  Quaternary activities- services rendered by “white collar” professional working in govt, education, management, information processing, and research  Quinary activities- executive decision makers in large public or private organizations  Tertiary activities- involve the provision of services, e.g., financial, business, professional, clerical, personal,etc.  Quaternary activities- services rendered by “white collar” professional working in govt, education, management, information processing, and research  Quinary activities- executive decision makers in large public or private organizations

Origins of Agriculture  Began with the domestication of plants and animals  Hunting and gathering (including fishing) became important means by which humans obtained foods prior to the invention of agriculture  Today, less than.005 percent of the world’s population still survive from hunting and gathering  Began with the domestication of plants and animals  Hunting and gathering (including fishing) became important means by which humans obtained foods prior to the invention of agriculture  Today, less than.005 percent of the world’s population still survive from hunting and gathering

Types of Cultivation  According to geographer Carl Sauer, the earliest form of plant cultivation was vegetative planting, in which new plants are produced by direct cloning from existing plants  Seed agriculture, or the production of plants through annual planting of seeds came later  According to geographer Carl Sauer, the earliest form of plant cultivation was vegetative planting, in which new plants are produced by direct cloning from existing plants  Seed agriculture, or the production of plants through annual planting of seeds came later

Origin of vegetative planting  Sauer believed that vegetative planting probably originated in Southeast Asia  First plants domesticated in Southeast Asia included roots such as taro, yams, and tree crops such as banana and palm  Diffused from S.E. Asian hearth northward and eastward to China and Japan, and westward through India, Southwest Asia, tropical Africa and areas around the Mediterranean Sea  Other early hearths = West Africa and northwestern South America  Sauer believed that vegetative planting probably originated in Southeast Asia  First plants domesticated in Southeast Asia included roots such as taro, yams, and tree crops such as banana and palm  Diffused from S.E. Asian hearth northward and eastward to China and Japan, and westward through India, Southwest Asia, tropical Africa and areas around the Mediterranean Sea  Other early hearths = West Africa and northwestern South America

Vegetative Hearth

Origin and Diffusion of Seed Agriculture Carl Sauer identified three hearths: 1.Western India 2.Northern China 3.Ethiopia Two independent hearths: Southern Mexico Northern Peru Carl Sauer identified three hearths: 1.Western India 2.Northern China 3.Ethiopia Two independent hearths: Southern Mexico Northern Peru

Seed Agriculture

Innovations that increased the chances of success for seed agriculture  Irrigation (the channeling of water to fields)  Plowing to loosen and turn the soil  Fencing to keep animals out of the fields  Building terraces to provide level field on hill sides  Fertilizing with plant and animal wastes  weeding  Irrigation (the channeling of water to fields)  Plowing to loosen and turn the soil  Fencing to keep animals out of the fields  Building terraces to provide level field on hill sides  Fertilizing with plant and animal wastes  weeding

First Agricultural Revolution or the Neolithic Revolution  occurred when humans began to settle in communities (8000 B.C.E) and moved away from hunting and gathering  Happened in many places at different times  Began with the development of seed agriculture and the use of the plow and draft animals  Began with the domestication of plants and animals  Led to the emergence of agricultural hearths from which farming practices diffused  occurred when humans began to settle in communities (8000 B.C.E) and moved away from hunting and gathering  Happened in many places at different times  Began with the development of seed agriculture and the use of the plow and draft animals  Began with the domestication of plants and animals  Led to the emergence of agricultural hearths from which farming practices diffused

Changes that resulted from the 1st Agricultural Revolution  Increase in reliable food supplies  Rapid increase in total human population  Job specialization  Widening of gender differences  Development of distinction between settled people and nomads  Increase in reliable food supplies  Rapid increase in total human population  Job specialization  Widening of gender differences  Development of distinction between settled people and nomads

Second Agricultural Revolution  Probably began in Western Europe in the 1600s  Preceded the Industrial Revolution  Led to the Enclosure Movement (beginning of scientific agriculture)  Use of crop rotation  Dramatic improvements in outputs, such as crop and livestock yields  Invention of the seed drill (Jethro Tull)  New inputs, e.g., fertilizers & drainage system  Probably began in Western Europe in the 1600s  Preceded the Industrial Revolution  Led to the Enclosure Movement (beginning of scientific agriculture)  Use of crop rotation  Dramatic improvements in outputs, such as crop and livestock yields  Invention of the seed drill (Jethro Tull)  New inputs, e.g., fertilizers & drainage system

The Third Agricultural Revolution  Began in late 19th century and gained momentum throughout 20th century  The Green Revolution is said to have begun during the Third Agricultural Revolution  Began in late 19th century and gained momentum throughout 20th century  The Green Revolution is said to have begun during the Third Agricultural Revolution

3 phases of the 3rd argic. Rev.  Mechanization: the replacement of human farm labor with machines  Chemical farming: the application of synthetic fertilizers to the soil- and herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides to crops  Food manufacturing: involves adding econ. Value to agric. Products thru processing, canning, packaging, refining, etc.  Mechanization: the replacement of human farm labor with machines  Chemical farming: the application of synthetic fertilizers to the soil- and herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides to crops  Food manufacturing: involves adding econ. Value to agric. Products thru processing, canning, packaging, refining, etc.

Subsistence vs.. Commercial agriculture  Purpose of farming  Percentage of farmers in the labor force  Use of machinery  Farm size  Relationship of farming to other businesses  Purpose of farming  Percentage of farmers in the labor force  Use of machinery  Farm size  Relationship of farming to other businesses

Subsistence Agriculture Regions  Shifting cultivation- South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia  Pastoral nomadism- the dry lands of North Africa and Asia  Intensive subsistence, wet rice dominant- East and South Asia  Intensive subsistence, crops other than rice dominant- East and South Asia  Shifting cultivation- South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia  Pastoral nomadism- the dry lands of North Africa and Asia  Intensive subsistence, wet rice dominant- East and South Asia  Intensive subsistence, crops other than rice dominant- East and South Asia

Rice Paddies

Commercial Agriculture Regions  Mixed crop and livestock- U.S. Midwest and central Europe  Dairying- northeastern U.S., southeastern Canada, and northwestern Europe  Grain- north-central United States and Eastern Europe  Ranching- dry land of western U.S., southeastern South America, Central Asia, southern Africa, and Australia  Mediterranean - lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, western U.S., Chile, South Africa & Australia  Mixed crop and livestock- U.S. Midwest and central Europe  Dairying- northeastern U.S., southeastern Canada, and northwestern Europe  Grain- north-central United States and Eastern Europe  Ranching- dry land of western U.S., southeastern South America, Central Asia, southern Africa, and Australia  Mediterranean - lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, western U.S., Chile, South Africa & Australia

Commercial Agriculture Regions  Commercial gardening- southeastern United States and southeastern Australia  Plantation- tropical and subtropical areas of Latin America, Africa, and Asia  Commercial gardening- southeastern United States and southeastern Australia  Plantation- tropical and subtropical areas of Latin America, Africa, and Asia

Characteristics of Shifting Cultivation  Slash-and-burn  Crops grown on a cleared field for few years and field left to fallow  The cleared field is known as swidden, landang, milpa, chena, and kaingin  Slash-and-burn  Crops grown on a cleared field for few years and field left to fallow  The cleared field is known as swidden, landang, milpa, chena, and kaingin

Shifting Cultivation

Crops  Depends on local custom and taste  But may include upland rice in Southeast Asia; maize (corn) and manioc (cassava) in South America; and millet and sorghum in Africa  Others- yams, sugarcane, plantain, etc.  Depends on local custom and taste  But may include upland rice in Southeast Asia; maize (corn) and manioc (cassava) in South America; and millet and sorghum in Africa  Others- yams, sugarcane, plantain, etc.