1. The Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies

2. Farming: The Biggest Mistake Ever???
Food production = Hard Work!
It often led to:
poorer health
shorter lifespan
harder labor for the majority of people
Societies do not develop agriculture unless there is a strong push toward that direction (necessity, hospitable environment and species, etc.)
So Why Did People Switch From Hunting and Gathering To Farming?

3. Neolithic Era After 10,000 BCE
What?
“Agricultural Revolution” = domestication of plants & animals
Literal Meaning: New Stone Age
The first permanent human settlements emerged
Still used stone tools
Pottery appears
Çatalhöyük (7000 BCE):
Remains of a Neolithic village located in modern day Turkey

4. Where? “Fertile Crescent” (modern day Iraq)
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
The area around these rivers is known to history as Mesopotamia
End of Last Ice Age
Warming Climate
Wild grasses abundant

5. Why Mesopotamia First?
Why Mesopotamia First? BL=Undomesticated wheat, BR=Change corn (Easier and faster to domesticate wheat than corn)

6. How did Agriculture Develop?
Availability of calories determines how people get food
End of ice age  Plants thriving
Humans began “helping” plants along and selecting for traits, to increase calories gathered
Certain plants were abundant and provided many calories=Humans actively chose these
Discussion Point: Main crop growing around town? Why is that? Less plant diversity discussion.

7. Where & When? Location Dates (B.C.E) Plants Animals
Southwest Asia (Fertile Crescent)
Barley, wheat, lentils, figs
Goats, sheep, cattle, pigs
China
Rice, millet, soybeans
Pigs, chickens, water buffalo
Saharan and Sub-Saharan Africa
Sorghum, millet, yams, teff
Cattle (perhaps 8000 B.C.E)
Highland New Guinea
Taro, bananas, yams, sugarcane
Andes region
Potatoes, quinoa, manioc
Llamas, alpaca, guinea pig
Mesoamerica
Maize, squash (perhaps 7000 B.C.E), beans
Turkey
Eastern woodlands of North America
Sunflower, goosefoot, sumpweed
Guided notes: Include blank map for location of progress

8. What else is needed for a Neolithic Revolution?
Animal Domestication – what is it?
An animal will breed where and when we want it to and often. It will come to us for food. It is not aggressive.
Examples?

9. Important Domesticated Animals Write Down 3!
Horse
Cow
Pig
Sheep
Goat
Chicken Ox
Indian Elephant
All from Eurasia

10. What was in the Americas? Only the guinea pig, turkey, and…

11. So What? What does the Neolithic Revolution allow?:
A sedentary lifestyle
The need for cooperation and group effort
Job specialization
Social Hierarchies (Social classes)
Patriarchy (Rule by males)
Population Growth
Why do these occur?

12. Results for Agricultural Society
Now that you have possessions, what do you have to do?
Kings- to direct
Militaries – to protect
Priests – to protect and record
Bureaucrats- scribes and writing – to protect and keep accounts
Artisans- make storage vessels (pottery)

13. Did Everyone Switch?
Write down at least 2 examples & why!!!

14. River Valley Civilizations: Called that for a reason!
Yes due to ability to irrigate

15. Eurasian Steppe (grasslands)
Yes, abundant grass leads to pastoralism

16. African Savannah
Degradation of grasslands through pastoralism

17. Inuit Lands
Fatty animals fishing

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