3.2

Agricultural Revolution

Neolithic Age• Means “New Stone”

• Between 8,000 B.C. -4,000 B.C.

• SHIFT FROM HUNTING AND GATHERING TOSYSTEMIC AGRICULTURE

–Systematic Agriculture- Growing food on a regular basis

–Did not happen quickly

Neolithic Times• Nomads moved to mild climates & fertile lands

• FIRST TIME: people stayed in 1 place to grow food

–Farming replaced hunting and gathering as main food source

• Domesticated animals

–Transported goods

–Provided meat, milk, and wool.

Big Changes for Human Kind• Agricultural Revolution

–Could now produce a CONSTANT food supply.

• Population grew faster

•Nomads lived in settled communities.

SOME HISTORIANS CONSIDER THIS THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT IN HUMAN

HISTORY.

Widespread Farming• Farming started in Southwest Asia (8,000 B.C.)

–Wheat, barley, pig, cow, goat, sheep

• 6,000 B.C. barley and wheat in Egypt in the Nile Valley

• By 6,000 B.C. China was growing crops

• By 4,000 B.C. it had reached Europe

• BY 4,000 B.C. FARMING WAS AN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

• By 7,000-5,000 B.C. Mexico and Central America

–Corn, squash, potatoes

Life in the Neolithic Age

• Settled in villages/permanent homes–Settled near a water supply

•Two of the oldest villages–Jericho (between Israel & Jordan) (8000B.C.)

–Catalhuyak (present day Turkey) (6700-5700 B.C.)• 32 acres; home to 6,000 people

• Shrines or holy buildings

• Grew their own food

Benefits of Settled Life• Protection from weather and wild animals

• Steady food supply

–Began to trade extra food

• People started to begin other economicactivities

–Artisans, skilled workers [weapons, jewelry, pottery]

•Gender roles

–Men• grew crops; protected

• Became family and community leaders

–Women• Bore children

• Stayed in village

•Made clothes

•Managed food supplies

•Other tasks

End of the Neolithic Age

• Still advancing technology

–Hoes for digging soil, sickles for cutting grain

–Millstones for grinding flour

• Found copper

–Easier to use than stone

–Copper and tin formed BRONZE

Bronze Age

3200 B.C. - 1200 B.C.

Civilizations Emerge

•Develop more complex cultures

–Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China

•Developed cities and formed governments

–All started near river valleys

Governments

• First government: Monarchies

–Led by a king or queen

•Monarchs created armies and made laws

•Defended against enemies and keep order

•Government officials managed food supplies and building projects.

Religion

•Helped people explain their lives

•Believed that gods were responsible forcommunity survival.

• Priests performed ceremonies

•Rulers claimed their power was approved bythe gods.

Social Structure

• People organized into groups.

–Defined by type of work, amount of wealth, power they had.

• HIGHEST- government officials, priests, warriors

–Set rules, made important decisions

• FREE PEOPLE- farmers, artisans, crafts people

• LOWEST- enslaved people

Writing and Art

• Invented ways to write.

–Used symbols

–Keep accurate records, preserve stories

• Art

–For enjoyment and practical reasons

–Usually gods and forces of nature

• Buildings

–Places of worship

–Burial tombs to kings