At first, our ancestors lived a nomadic lifestyle; moving around constantly, following herds, and hunting and gathering in order to find sustenance. The transition from a nomadic lifestyle to an agrarian society was not an easy transition, for it changed the way of life for humans drastically. This transition happened in different parts of the world at different times. We call this period the Neolithic or Agricultural Revolution. The Neolithic Revolution might not have happened in parts of the world if not for three very key factors; the domestication of plants, the availability of animals, and geography. Although the availability of animals helped to advance societies development into an agrarian society, it is overshadowed by the greater importance of the geography and the vitality of the domestication of plants to the Neolithic Revolution. Without the domestication of plants, the Neolithic Revolution would not have happened.
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The domestication of plants provided a source of sustenance that was more reliable and less dangerous than hunting or gathering. The steady supply of food soon became a food surplus, which allowed people to settle and form larger groups. In time, the surplus of food became so great that, “many people topped producing at all, making instead tools and other goods that farmers needed, and for which they gave them food in exchange” (Knox). That is called specialization and from specialization emerged trade, the exchange of goods and ideas. Thus, the Neolithic Revolution was underway. While many would argue the availability of animals and geography was more important to the Neolithic Revolution because it helped to ensure the agrarian society flourished and developed, the domestication of plants was the key factor that made the Neolithic Revolution possible, giving the foundation for an agrarian society. Without a foundation, like a house, the agrarian society would not have been possible. The success of farming relied on geography and the availability of animals, which in turn became key causes of the Neolithic Revolution. Geography was an aspect that furthered the development of society greatly. According to the “Neolithic Agricultural Revolution Sites” map, the fertile crescent was the first society to domesticate plants around 5000 BCE. This is 3,500 years before any other society not in the fertile crescent. The fertile crescent is in the middle east, located between and near two rivers called the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. These rivers caused the soil to become rich and full of nutrients. From the map we can see that societies closer to rivers flourished sooner. However, this might not only be due to the domestication of plants. Part of the domestication of plants success was the domestication of animals. Depending on the geographical location of each society, the animals available to them varied. Societies with animals who could burden intense labor helped farming to become more efficient and successful. As I stated in the last paragraph, the availability of animals was also a key factor of why the Neolithic Revolution was successful. Firstly, it played a huge role in foraging, the ice ages forced humans to, “depend less on plants and more on animals” (Bronowski). This was a source of sustenance for the early humans. Secondly, The types of animals that were available after the domestication of plants played a role in the success of the agrarian society. As I stated in the last
The domestication of plants provided a source of sustenance that was more reliable and less dangerous than hunting or gathering. The steady supply of food soon became a food surplus, which allowed people to settle and form larger groups. In time, the surplus of food became so great that, “many people topped producing at all, making instead tools and other goods that farmers needed, and for which they gave them food in exchange” (Knox). That is called specialization and from specialization emerged trade, the exchange of goods and ideas. Thus, the Neolithic Revolution was underway. While many would argue the availability of animals and geography was more important to the Neolithic Revolution because it helped to ensure the agrarian society flourished and developed, the domestication of plants was the key factor that made the Neolithic Revolution possible, giving the foundation for an agrarian society. Without a foundation, like a house, the agrarian society would not have been possible. The success of farming relied on geography and the availability of animals, which in turn became key causes of the Neolithic Revolution. Geography was an aspect that furthered the development of society greatly. According to the “Neolithic Agricultural Revolution Sites” map, the fertile crescent was the first society to domesticate plants around 5000 BCE. This is 3,500 years before any other society not in the fertile crescent. The fertile crescent is in the middle east, located between and near two rivers called the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. These rivers caused the soil to become rich and full of nutrients. From the map we can see that societies closer to rivers flourished sooner. However, this might not only be due to the domestication of plants. Part of the domestication of plants success was the domestication of animals. Depending on the geographical location of each society, the animals available to them varied. Societies with animals who could burden intense labor helped farming to become more efficient and successful. As I stated in the last paragraph, the availability of animals was also a key factor of why the Neolithic Revolution was successful. Firstly, it played a huge role in foraging, the ice ages forced humans to, “depend less on plants and more on animals” (Bronowski). This was a source of sustenance for the early humans. Secondly, The types of animals that were available after the domestication of plants played a role in the success of the agrarian society. As I stated in the last