the first farmers 1.2

• Middelbare school

Memo year 1 HV

H1. The time of hunters and farmers

section 1.2  The first farmers

Learning objectives

• You can  describe what the agricultural revolution involved
• You can give some possible explanations for the switch from hunting and gathering to agriculture
• You can explain what economic, social and cultural changes resulted from the agricultural revolution.

An important discovery

For centuries people lived on hunting and gathering as means of existence.

Around 9000 BC all this started to change

Some hunters-gathrers started growing their own crops: arable farming

First, people just put a few cereal grains in the soil, later they started weeding, and watering plants as well.

The first people who took up farming lived in the Middle East.

That was where another new development started thousands of years later: keeping animals.

The earliest farmers still went hunting as well, but gradually these people managed to tame some animals, such as cows, goats, sheep and pigs. The livestock provided them with milk, meat and wool. This was the start of livestock farming

An important discovery

Arable farming and livestock farming: agraculture.

Transition to agriculture is one of the most imporatnt changes in the existence of mankind. 

Therefore: agricultural revolution.

Where did the first farmers live?
Choose the correct letter.

1. Middle East
2. Europe
3. Africa
4. Asia

What is livestock?
choose the correct letter.

1. growing crops
2. keeping animals

Why do you think hunters-gatherers changed to agriculture?
Think of 1 reason.

Causes for agriculture

Farmers had to work harder than hunters-gatherers. So why did they change to agriculture?

Transition to agriculture in 3 fases:

1. In the Middle East, 10.000 jaar BC, the climate changed--> more and more food available in nature and hunters-gatherers no longer needed to move around: less tiring.
   

Causes agriculture

2. 1000 years later started experimenting with agriculture. They learned more and more about plants and animals

Causes for agriculture

3. Agriculture became essential to stay alive. 

There was more food available--> population growth --> need even more food --> agriculture became even more important

Agriculture started in the Middle East, all kinds of wild cereal species and beans grew in this area that were well suited for groeing as crops. A lot of animals lived here that could easily be tamed as well.

The transition from hunting-gathering to farming had big consequences
Think of 1.

Big consequences

• Permanent place to live.
• population growth and accumulating more wealth: Economy
• Social differences
• Cultural change
  

Big consequences

• Agriculture was not always healthy for humans. Livestock diseases could infect humans more easily, because they they lived with their animals. What is more, farmers only grew a few crops and had a less varied diet.