Why does this revolution occur anyway? Climatic change drought- caused scarcity of food supplies (12,000 BCE) especially in Southwest Asia Population pressure perhaps saturation point for hunter-gatherers
The Neolithic Revolution (9,000BCE-3,500BCE) Sometimes termed the Agricultural Revolution. Humans begin to slowly domesticate plant and animal stocks in Southwest Asia. Agriculture requires nomadic peoples to become sedentary. Populations begin to rise in areas where plant and animal domestication occurs.
Costs & Advantages of Agriculture Advantages Steady food supplies Greater populations Costs Heavily dependant on certain food crops (failure = starvation) Leads to organized societies capable of supporting additional vocations (soldiers, managers, etc.) Disease from close contact with animals, humans, & waste Reduced mobility
Agriculture Slowly Spreads
Was it independent development or cultural diffusion? Areas of Independent Development: 1. SW Asia (has the Big 5 :horse, cow, pig, sheep & goat also has wheat, and other crops) 2. China & SE Asia (rice, millet, pig) 3. Americas (corn, beans, potato, llama) Areas of Agriculture through Diffusion: 1. Europe 2. West & Sub-Saharan Africa (?) 3. Indus River Valley (rice cultivation)
Domestication of animals led to one of the great historical divides Pastoralists vs. agriculturalists Northern Eurasian steppes Turkic speakers and Mongolian nomads Some engaged in pastoralism or slash & burn agriculture. The violent and peaceful interaction between nomads and agriculturalists endures throughout history. (trade & raid)
Benefits of Neolithic Revolution More protein from domesticated and tamed animals. Animals - not only meat but milk, fertilizer and power. Horses -vital weapon and become the major military vehicle until World War I. Domesticated animals responsible for spread of germs and disease. (pox, measles, flu) Immunity of agriculturalists help them push migrators out of area. Food surplus from plants = increased population (nomads keep a baby every 4 years) and longer life. Surplus = job specialization: leaders, soldiers, priests and artisans. COMPLEX SOCIETIES form.
Sedentary Agriculturalists Dominate High starch diets slowly allow sedentary populations to grow. Only.1% of plants and animals are edible, most are indigestible, poisonous, low in nutrition, tedious to prepare, difficult to gather, or dangerous to hunt. Only 14 animals and less than.1% of all plants are domesticable First plow invented c.6,000bce; crop yields grow exponentially by 4000BCE. Pop. grows from 5-8 million to 60-70 million. Eventually agricultural populations begin to spread out, displacing or assimilating nomadic groups; farming groups grow large enough for advanced social organization.
Role of Women Great Leap Sideways Women generally lost status under maledominated, patriarchal systems. Women lost ownership of children Domestication of animals led to an understanding of how babies come about. Once men understand this they now must protect women to ensure their paternity of any babies. protect to control at all times Fossil evidence indicates that women were limited in vocation-planting, weeding, harvesting, grinding Women may have lacked the same social rights as men.
Advanced Civilization: The Next Step? By 3500BCE, relatively large, advanced preliterate societies develop along Indus, Huang He, Nile, and Tigris & Euphrates Rivers. As societies grow in size and need, sedentary human beings are again faced with pressures to adapt to changing natural and human environments.
Early Human Impact on the Environment Deforestation in places where copper, bronze, and salt were produced. Erosion and flooding where agriculture disturbed soil and natural vegetation. Selective extinction of large land animals and weed plants due to hunting & agriculture.
The six characteristics of civilization 1. Advanced cities population size (10,000s) trade/ administrative centers religious centers
First Towns Develop Çatal Hüyük (Modern Turkey) relatively egalitarian---no evidence of labor specialization or gender distinction First settled: c. 7000BCE Jericho (Modern Israel) First settled: c. 7000BCE
2. Specialized Workers Lived in cities, fed by surplus food Artisans, shopkeepers, soldiers, officials, rulers, priests
3. Social Classes Rulers and priests nobles Artisans and merchants farmers Invert these two if talking about China Slaves
4. Complex Institutions the long- lasting patterns of organization Government Religion Education military
5.Recordkeeping/writing Keep track of events, time, business transactions, religious rituals
6. Advanced technology Monumental architecture Art, public works New tools
Technological Advancements Wheeled Vehicles Save labor, allow transport of large loads and enhance trade Potters Wheel (c.6000bce) Allows the construction of more durable clay vessels and artwork Irrigation & Driven Plows Allow further increase of food production, encourages pop. growth
What are the consequences? The Biggest Mistake in Human History? Hunter-gatherers work about 20% of the day to provide enough food to survive, farmers work about 60% of the day to provide enough to survive. Duh!!! Divergence between world s parts grew despite common origins mankind diverges and distinct cultures emerge
A Paleolitic shaman created The Venus of Willendorf, estimated to have been made between 22,000 B.C.E. and 21,000 B.C.E. It was discovered at a Paleolithic site in Austria. It is carved from limestone that is not local to the area. POV???