1. Hunter-Forager Societies
Groups were not always self-sufficient
Trade with neighboring groups was often necessary
Developed tools suitable for their environment
Practiced animism

2. What is animism?
noun
the attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena.
the belief in a supernatural power that organizes and animates the material universe.

3. Now let’s take a look at…

4. Let’s think about the word “revolution”…
What does it mean?
Merriam-Webster defines a revolution as: “a sudden, radical, or complete change” OR “a fundamental change in the way of thinking about or visualizing something”
As we talk about the Neolithic Revolution, remember that the word “revolution” refers to a process, NOT an event!

5. Characteristics of the Neolithic Revolution
Began around 12,000 years ago
Domestication of plants and animals
Growing populations
Permanent settlements
Characteristics of the Neolithic Revolution

6. New diseases from close proximity to animals
Cities, states, and sometimes empires
Increased impact on environment
More food and resources from much smaller areas of land
Characteristics of the Neolithic Revolution
The Neolithic Revolution

7. Origins of Agriculture
This map is for your reference only. Pay attention to the origins of food production. It did not occur in only ONE place.

8. John Green and Crash Course: Episode 1 (The Neolithic Revolution)
After watching the video clip, generate a list of five key points that John Green made about the Neolithic Revolution.

9. The Culture of Agriculture
An increase in human population
Greater productivity of agriculture supported more people
- Example: agricultural settlement uncovered near Jericho in present-day Israel had approximately 2,000 people
Living close to animals subjected humans to new diseases
Smallpox, flu, measles, chicken pox, malaria, tuberculosis, rabies
Permanent settlements
An explosion of technological innovation

10. Agricultural Development and Early Agricultural Communities
Horticulture developed before agriculture.
Horticulture used only hand tools, such as hoes and digging sticks to plant and cultivate
Agriculture made use of animals and plows which improved the process; increased food supply and communities grew
Pastoralists domesticators of animals

11. Agricultural Development and Early Agricultural Communities

12. Emergence of Civilization
Early farming villages developed into complex societies known as civilizations.

13. What were some of the results of the Neolithic Revolution?

14. World Population Growth
Intensive agriculture caused human population to jump from 5-8 million to 60 to 70 million in 5,000 years

15. Here’s a key point…
Never forget that population increases as food production increases…this remains TRUE throughout history!