1. Economic Systems and Culture

2. Foraging Societies

3. Foraging societies, or hunter/gatherer societies are the most studied groups.
Hunting is done by men who hunt and fish heavily in the fall and winter and store their food.
Gathering berries and roots or some light cultivation, is done by the women in the spring and summer.

4. Labour is divided along
gender lines: men do
heavier work like boat building and women do
lighter tasks like cooking, child care, preparing
clothing or fur processing, and fishing.
Food is shared and eaten as soon as it is hunted.
All members contribute
to the groups survival.

5. Horticultural Societies

6. The men clear the fields, women prepare
These societies practise agriculture but without irrigating or cultivating the soil.
They cultivate in one area for a period of time and then move on to another area when the soil is exhausted.
The men clear the fields, women prepare
and plant the fields. corn, beans and squash.
(for the Huron tribe)

7. Redistribution: some horticultural societies will collect resources centrally and then redistributed them (hand them out) among the members of the whole society – this can give an individual or government great power Potlatch – sacred ceremony of First Nations peoples on N.W. coast in which property is given away to enhance status

8. Agricultural Societies
Intensive development of the land through irrigation and fertilization.
Societies move less, can support greater populations and share less.
These societies become stratified into social classes such as peasants (who work the land), nobles (who own the land), priests, kings.
Examples of these societies are ancient Egypt, China, South America.

10. Industrial Societies
These societies are complex and large, and are dependent on machines and most people work in wage labouring jobs.
Started with the industrial revolution in England approximately 1770s-1850s.
With improved means of distribution a market economy developed based on supply and demand.

13. Postindustrial Societies
Modern Society developed since the 1970s.
Most people work in the service industries producing information or providing a service.
i.e. retail, food services, high tech
Wage labour in full time work and part-time work. Not as reliable.
A global system – system whereby goods are transported over vast distances in a parts process. i.e. tires may be made in Mexico, shipped to the U.S. and placed on cars made in Canada.