© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. T3/20/12 The Origins of Agriculture (Ch – pp )

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. I. Origins of Agriculture –Agriculture = deliberate modification of Earth’s surface through the cultivation of plants and/or rearing of animals –Cultivate = “to care for” –Crop = any plant cultivated by people

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. I. Origins of Agriculture (cont.) –A. Hunter-gatherers earliest groups of people –small nomadic tribes (~50 ppl.) –division of labor by gender Perhaps 250,000 remaining today (less than 0.005%) –Spinifex (Pila Nguru) - Great Victorian Desert in Australia –Sentinelese - Andaman Islands in India –Bushmen - Kalihari Desert in Botswana & Namibia

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. I. Origins of Agriculture (cont.) –B. Invention of agriculture earliest roots are unclear –probably around 10,000 years ago, depending on hearth diffused from many hearths - Columbian Exchange –see map 10-2 domestication of animals –also differs by place & region –see map 10-3

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Crop Hearths Figure 10-2

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Animal Hearths Figure 10-3

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. II. Subsistence & Commercial Agriculture –Subsistence = produced mainly for the farm family’s survival Most common in LDCs –Commercial = produced mainly for sale off the farm Most common in MDCs –Derwent Whittlesley research in regions –climate vs. culture –careful to avoid environmental determinism –culture plays strong role (i.e., pork in Middle East)

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Agriculture and Climate

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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. II. Subsistence & Commercial Agriculture –Five characteristics distinguish commercial from subsistence agriculture A. Purpose of farming –personal vs. mass consumption B. Percentage of farmers in the labor force –usually higher in LDC’s, but more land in MDC’s C. Use of machinery –begins in late 18th C. –continues to have impact on efficiency

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. II. Subsistence & Commercial Agriculture –Five characteristics (cont.) D. Farm size –average farms are large in MDC’s –5% of farms make up 75% of U.S. production –still 98% of commercial farms are family owned & operated –steady loss of prime agricultural land due to urban sprawl E. Relationship of farming to other businesses – development of agribusiness –farmers only 2% of workers in U.S., but 20% of labor force works in food production

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Agricultural Workers Figure 10-5

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Area of Farmland Per Tractor Figure 10-6