What was the Neolithic Age? A prehistoric time when humans used stone-based technologies and depended on domesticated crops and/or animals.

What does an excavation site look like?

Why would plant and animal domestication happen? Humans interacted with plants and animals causing genetic changes in plants, animals and humansplants Access to land

BRAINSTORM For 3 minutes list (write them down) ways you imagine plants, animals and humans could change due to human interactions. For 3 minutes, discuss these ideas with a partner. What types of interactions would cause change?

How would plant & animal domestication happen? Developed due to chance (climate changes) Edible parts of plants become larger, loss of distasteful parts, sturdier stemsplants Unconscious selection: Preservation of valued individuals & destruction of less valued,valued no thought of long-range consequences Caused changes in skeletal structures of some animals (goats & sheep) and plantsskeletal goats & sheep Food foragers knew that seeds produce food Food foragers managed environment before agriculture

UNCONSCIOUS SELECTION Write your definition of unconscious selection, include examples to help your explanation. List what parts of animals do you think people would NOT like? Why? How do you think food foragers managed their environments? Write down your ideas. Discuss with a partner after everyone has written thoughts.

Where did domestication first occur? East of Mediterranean 13,000 years ago – rice China – rice 11,000 years ago Americas domesticated squash 10,000 years ago Mexico – domesticated maize 7000 years ago Native Americans domesticated over 300 food crops 60% of crops today developed by Native Americans

Americas Brainstorm some reasons why you think the Americas would produce so many varieties of food crops? Then, discuss in groups of 3.

How did the man/nature relationship change with agriculture? Domestication led to (generally) higher yields Able to feed more people Food becomes softer Babies can eat “solid” food earlier Less nursing More children born Types of work changed Development of social hierarchies Quality of food changed Food available to food foragers is of higher quality – farmers rely on lower nutritional foods Farming more unstable than food forager choices due to less diversity New technology, new diseases, social inequality, poor health, sedentary lifestyle, sanitation problems = out of balance

Agriculture What are some benefits for humans due to the development of agriculture? Create a T chart that lists the positives and negatives of agriculture.

What is a civilization? A society where large numbers of people live in cities, have social classes including a ruling elite with a centrally organized political system called a state

What are the four basic changes that led to Neolithic villages? Agricultural innovation Diversification of labor Central government Social stratification

Neolithic villages Explain “diversification of labor.” What used to happen before this? Explain “social stratification.” What was life like before this? What kind of “government” existed before a central government?

What are the problems of civilization? Waste disposal Disease Social inequality warfare