Introduction
If you have to imagine a world where every man, woman, and child had to fight for their survival to get a meal in the morning, it is highly likely that his or her view of the world is different from yours and I. Men lived like that, hunting animals and collecting plants for their food needs only in the past. Then the climax – the Agricultural Revolution happened. When people began farming approximately about 10,000 years ago this revolution single handily changed the entire human life. It did not simply facilitate food production to become more predictable; it set the conventional stage for all that we recognize now – cities, states, countries, and economies, as well as arts.
But what does it all refer to and why was this event such a significant stage in the history of human development? This paper presents an analysis of the major change and effects in a focal area brought about by this shift. It is now commonly accepted to be one of the greatest milestones in the history of humanity, and by the end of this article, you will learn why.
Classification of Agricultural Revolution
The Agricultural Revolution or Neolithic Revolution, which was the change from a society, based on hunting and food gathering to one that was based on food producing farming. Basically it is when people decided to start cultivating plants and domesticate animals to feed them.
Early Origins: 1570–1780
This revolution started round about 10000BC in the fertile Crescent area often Middle East. Further down the years agriculture migrated out of the Middle East to other continents such as Europe Asia, Africa and even the Americas.
From HUNTING – GATHERING to FARMING
Contrary to what was obvious in farming, life in the past was uncertain. Our ancestors were required to rely on so-called wild foods, and gather and hunt for nourishment the year-round. Farming changed that. They did not only enable individuals to live in one region, cultivate plants, and rear livestock. This transition brought into the civilization stability and foresight.
Traits of Agricultural Revolution
Plant and Animal Domestication
Let me remind that the domestication of plants and animals was one of the preliminary stages of the development of the agriculture, without which the Agricultural Revolution could not have taken place. Wheat, barley and rice were among the crops grown by the early farmers and on which most of the societies depended on for survival. They also engaged in keeping animals such as sheep, goat and cattle for meat, milk and pulling.cal {#_ftn1}
Phase 3- Development of Tools and Techniques
With developing farming new tools were invented all around the world. Ancient farmers had to learn how to engrave plows to cultivate soils, tools to water the crops, and cycles to make the soils productive again. I was able to identify new innovations on farming and these helped in efficiency as well as in increase in productivity.
Permanent Settlements
And with farming rose the practice of setting in one place. This happened because of the support given by the demands of the aquifer to permanent establishments such as, Jericho and Çatalhöyük among the first known towns in history.
Some Social Aspects of the Agricultural Revolution
Population Growth
Farming on a larger scale created ability to support such large population and thus caused an increase in population. There would be more children to be born because people can afford to eat, more families, and therefore, population boomed.
Division of Labor
They did not all need to farm anymore. It also created an opportunity for other people to focus on other aspects like construction, business or creating tools. This was the start for professions.
Power Relations
Agriculture also invented the ideas of possession of the soil. The war led to emergence of authorities who owned extensive tracts of land to benefit from the productivity of masses hence polarization of the elites from the rest.
Costs of the Agricultural Revolution
Deforestation and Land Use
In the process of the formation of farmland, humans have made numerous forest and grassland degradations. Although this gave room for crops it also defied ecological systems and minimized on diversity.
Soil Degradation
Population pressure, wanton cultivation of the land compromised soil quality and most of the lands could not support crop growing.
Effects on Diversity
Monoculture farming which is the farming of a single crop over time depleted the plant and animal species. This practice is still a factor in the ecosystems to date.
Key Points
Creation of Surpluses
Thus farming gave people opportunity to produce more food than required. These surpluses could either be accumulated over the time, or exchanged with value in other surpluses.
Markeets and Trade
In their abundance of food, societies required the systems of trade. Early markets and trade appeared on the scene and some hope of creating an economics.
Factors of Wealth Creation
Some of the major and new means of accumulation of wealth is the possession of land and the owners of these lands were favored with political might.
Cultural Consequences of the Agricultural Revolution
Religious and Spiritual Changes
Farming influenced religion. Early societies prayed to gods of fertility, rainfall, and harvest because most of them depended on farming.
Artistic Developments
From pottery adorned with local farming images to even carved images of animals and crops; agriculture informed early art.
Learning In and Knowledge Out
So farming dis personated the need for transferring knowledge – methods on how to plant crops, water and even on how to harvest. From this it evolved to creating a record in written form.
Difficulties Encountered During The Agricultural Revolution
Famines and Crop Failure
Market specialization exposed the different communities to poor yields of specific crops. One day there might be a drought or the next year there is a pest attack could wipe out everything.
Spread of Diseases
Being in close contact with those animals that were domesticated revolutionized diseases and ailments such as smallpox and influenza.
Resource Conflicts
When land became an asset people began to fight over the same and this led to battles and wars.
The Expansion of Agricultural Systems
Farming Techniques Transmission
Agriculture extended from the Fertile Crescent to affect Europe, Asia, Africa and America’s plateaus. Each region learned farming methods according to the conditions of the region.
Regional Variations
Some areas focused on specific produces, while other areas concentrated in just a few crops. For instance, rice produced was mainly in Asia, while maize was produced mainly in Americas.
Structural Consequences of the Agricultural Revolution
Pillars of Today’s Society
It is the beginnings from agriculture on which cities, economies, and governments were built. That is why societies are available to date.
Long Term Costs
Some of the effects of early farming on environment for example a change in soil fertility, reduce growth of trees are still with us today.
On Modern Farming
The changes in cultivation that characterized the Agricultural Revolution were the precursor to modern industrialised farming methods.
Some of the commonly held misconceptions of this topic include the following:
Myth 1: It Was a Rapid Change
It then took 4000 years for farming to spread and become part of people’s lives.
Myth 2: The lives of early farmers were easier than previously thought, according to research carried out on Neolithic ‘farm animals’.
Arming was not easy and early farmers were in for a lot more since they had to go through processes such as famine and diseases.
Myth 3: That Was The Same To Both Sides Benefit Everyone Of Them Privately
Not all people benefited from farming. These elemento f further fragmentation of social and economical relations.
Observations from Agricultural Revolution
SUS-St4: Sustainability in Agriculture
From the chapter, it emerges that sustainable farming practices today can be likened to overfarming whereby wrong approaches can be avoided.
Innovation and Conservation
When we innovate, we need to think about caring for the environment as the farmers of yesteryears thought of in their bid to cultivate crops/ produce food.
Transitioning to Future Challenges
The Agricultural Revolution provides lessons on how change is a constant part of life, which gives a reminder to prepare for Climate, Food, Water, and Energy Scarcity.
Conclusion
This period marked not only the shift in the human life as regards to the ways farmers produced food, but is also considered as a major turning point. Continuing its effects today, from population growth and economic change, to environmental problems and so many more. It is here that important lessons towards emergence of a sustainable and equity based society can be grasped.
FAQs
- What is the agricultural revolution and why did it happen?
It was the neolithic revolution, the change from food collecting to food producing, whichforms the basis and foundation of present day civilization. - What were the impacts of the Agricultural Revolution to humans?
It enabled people to build well-anchored settlements on the land, farm on their own and even form big groups. - What was the difficulties encountered during the Agricultural Revolution?
The effects were diseases, famine and poor soil health were some of the main challenges that came along the use of slash and burn. - What were the roles of agriculture in populating the world?
Stable food supply meant feeding more people in a single place, and not have to travel from one place to the other looking for food. - What can the modern agriculture gain from the Agricultural Revolution?
The following lesson is focused on the main issues such as sustainability, ability to innovate while respecting the natural resources.
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