From Foraging to Farming 250,000+ Years of History

From Foraging to Farming250,000+ Years of History )

How did we go from small groups of foragers to large populations of farmers?

What the Evidence Tells Us • Scientists look at three types of evidence to understand the history of this era • Physical remains from past societies • Bones, relics, stones, etc • Modern foraging communities • Learn basic patterns of life • Genetics • Determine the age of our species and the dates when different populations were separated by ancient migrations (remember, no written records!)

Three Eras of Human History

Three Significant Changes During the First Era of Human History The physical development of human beings The human populating of most major regions of the earth The Agricultural Revolution

Foragers • Symbolic Language • Communication was key • People shared information and knowledge began to accumulate • Each generation inherits the accumulated knowledge and could use it to adapt to the environment in new ways

By the Numbers… • Foragers needed a large area to support themselves • Foraging groups were typically small – how did they stay that way? • Birth control • Population control (kill old and young) • Groups probably encouraged marriage outside of their group • creating ties • Linguistic overlapping • Created network to trade goods, people, and ideas

In some areas the people were more sedentary – those with abundant resources Stay in one place longer before moving; these are referred to as the affluent foragers

Migration/Movement • As groups moved, they had to adapt to the new region • Impacts on the environment (as technological change accelerated, early peoples created new landscapes) • Firestick farming (brought new growth/more animals) • Animal extinctions/megafuanal extinctions – large animals (appear to coincide exactly w/the appearance of humans in areas)

Population Grows • As humans spread over more and more of the Earth, numbers surely increased • Technological creativity accelerated

Doubling Time – Population Growth • Growth rate 0.01% (if you had 11 people in your village and wanted to have a soccer game, you’d have to wait 9,000 years to have enough people for another team!) • Agrarian era – 1400 years • Modern era – 85 years

Change Comes Slowly • During this 250,000 year period change slowly accelerated • Foraging techniques were improving and eventually people learned to exploit their surroundings – the 1st step towards agriculture

Agrarian Era – 10,000 years • Eventually people began to harvest yams, fruits, and grains • Change began to occur, little by little (imperceptible, not like today) • Humans learned to communicate and live successfully in new environments • Agrarian communities grew into large civilizations Earliest records indicate that agriculture developed some 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent

Agriculture developed later in other regions Each region developed particular crops

Two Dramatic Developments • The rise and interaction among early agricultural-based (river valley) civilizations • The growth of larger pastoral communities • The interactions: • Allowed agricultural techniques to spread • Created long distance trade systems • Encouraged the growth of militaristic attitudes among communities in Eurasia and Africa

The Quest for Order • With the end of a nomadic lifestyle, rapid increases in population occurred • Populations became concentrated in urban areas • Work specialization and social distinctions increased, and people began to accumulate wealth • Larger, denser communities created new problems which were solved by forming the large, hierarchical structures we call states

The “Agricultural Revolution / Transition” • Early Agricultural Society • Emergence of Villages and Towns • Specialization of Labor • Metal Working • Textile Production • Social Distinctions • Neolithic Culture • Religious Values • The Origins of Urban Life • Emergence of Cities *The growth of agriculture provided not only new sources of food, but also greater social complexity

The Neolithic Era & the Transition to Agriculture Origins & Early Spread of Agriculture

Significant Changes During This Time • Civilizations begin to grow and develop • Birth and spread of world religions • Populations continue to rise and we see the emergence of large scale empires • Emergence of a ruling class (necessary for territorial or economic expansion)

Traits of a Civilization Rise of City-States/Empires • Specialization of labor (from surplus of food) • Record keeping with a written language (to manage life for large numbers of people living across wide areas) • Complex institutions – government, social hierarchy, religion • Trade & technology • Advanced cities

From Foraging to Farming 250,000+ Years of History