The Agricultural Revolution

• ELA

The Agricultural Revolution

If you lived 10,000 years ago, you might have never traveled. Sitting around the fire pit, however, your grandfather might tell stories about the old days.

He might recall when your people were always on the move. Your father might reply, “Traveling was exciting, but the great thing about growing food instead of searching for it is simple: nowadays, we usually have enough to eat. Yes, we have to stay close by to protect the livestock, water the plants, and scare away pests. We also have to sow seeds and harvest crops before animals get to them – but isn’t life better now?” 

And it was better. Major change happened when people realized they could grow a lot of food in one place. Large groups could live close together, and almost everyone could eat well. That innovation, or new idea, was at the heart of the agricultural revolution.

 It probably started in the Middle East, an area that includes southwestern Asia and northeastern Africa. Then the basic techniques of farming – sowing seeds, watering soil, harvesting – spread quickly through major regions of the world. For many, these techniques replaced hunting and gathering as a way of life.

What are two benefits of growing a lot of food in one place?

Where did farming probably start?

At some point way back in time, a drought, or dry spell, made it difficult to rely on the foods nomadic people usually ate. They needed more reliable sources of food, so they began to take steps to make sure food would be available.

They started planting seeds by scattering them on top of the soil, knowing some would grow, and keeping livestock, or animals, in pens.

What made people start to plant seed?

Animals like sheep and goats became domesticated, or conditioned to work with humans. Then they could be shepherded, with the help of dogs, over many miles of grazing grounds. 

This is called “pastoral nomadism.” People who did not settle in towns or villages continued living this way for many years. They moved their herds from one pasture to another, stopping to trade for supplies.

What is a nomad?

1. People who stayed in one place
2. People who stayed in multiple place
3. People who travel from place to place to find new pasture
4. A member of a community

With so much food in one place, there was no need to roam far to find it. People had moved between seasonal camps, but they started staying put in permanent camps. Then they expanded the camps into settlements. Eventually, the settlements that had been populated the longest grew into villages and towns.

How did people end up creating villages?

Clothing was usually made of animal pelts, or skins, before the agricultural revolution. But then people started shearing sheep for their wool. That was around the same time that farmers first planted cotton: about 6,000 years ago. Why do you think people started using cotton and wool instead of pelts?

 The population of the world grew dramatically because of the introduction of agriculture. Successful farming produced excess food for people and for livestock. As a result, people were able to have more children and live longer, healthier lives.

 When farmers produced more than they needed, they had a surplus. They could save the extra crops and livestock, lend them to another farmer or community, or use them to barter (trade) for goods and services. 

A surplus let farmers acquire goods and services that they didn’t provide themselves. Towns became known as trading centers. With additional people came a need for leaders and people to resolve disputes.

What is a surplus?

What is barter?

Why did the population of the world grow so fast?