Prehistoric Period and Agriculture Overview

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Questions and Answers

The term "agriculture" encompasses which of the following?

  • The cultivation of crops
  • The rearing of livestock
  • The providing of subsistence
  • The generating of economic benefits
  • All of the above (correct)

The origins of agriculture can be traced back to prehistoric periods.

True (A)

What is domestication?

The process of adapting wild plants and animals to be used by humans.

Which of the following are considered hearths of agriculture?

<p>Geographic locations where agriculture emerged and diffused (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the era characterized by significant advancements in agriculture commonly referred to as?

<p>The First Agricultural Revolution (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The concept of agriculture has often been constrained in its breadth, with a tendency to concentrate on specific activities and creatures.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is domestication characterized by?

<p>The development of traits that enhance their usefulness.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Domesticated animals have typically originated from socially inclined species in their natural habitats.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are some of the methods of subsistence farming?

<p>Shifting agriculture, sedentary farming, nomadic herding, and intensive subsistence farming.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does shifting cultivation involve?

<p>The clearance of land through the cutting down of vegetation followed by its subsequent burning.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Shifting cultivation can be considered a sustainable practice in areas with low population density.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is sedentary farming?

<p>A type of agriculture where the same crops are grown in the same area of land year after year.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Nomadic herding, also known as nomadic pastoralism, is one of the oldest forms of herding.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Prehistoric period

The time before written records. Lasted from 2.5 million years ago to 3600 BCE.

First Agricultural Revolution

The era of significant advancements in agriculture.

Agriculture

The practice of cultivating crops and raising livestock for food and profit.

Domestication

Adapting wild plants and animals for human use.

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Cultigens

Domesticated plants with traits useful to humans.

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Shifting agriculture

Clearing land by cutting and burning vegetation, then moving to a new area when soil nutrients are depleted.

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Sedentary farming

Cultivating the same land year after year.

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Nomadic herding

Moving livestock to find fresh pastures.

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Intensive subsistence farming

Labor-intensive farming using simple tools on a small plot to feed a community.

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Pastoral nomadism

A mobile way of life centered around herding domesticated animals.

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Commercial agriculture

Focuses on maximizing profit through large-scale production.

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Subsistence agriculture

Farming to meet the needs of the farmer and their community.

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Green Revolution

A period of significant advancements in agricultural production, particularly in wheat and rice.

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Harvest index

The weight of above-ground plant biomass.

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Paleolithic Era

Early Stone Age.

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Mesolithic Era

Middle Stone Age, transitional period between Paleolithic and Neolithic.

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Neolithic Era

New Stone Age, marked by the transition to farming.

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Plantation

Large-scale agriculture focusing on single products such as coffee or tea.

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Slash-and-burn agriculture

Clearing land by cutting and burning vegetation for farming.

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Hearths

Geographic areas where agriculture first emerged.

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Hunting and gathering

Subsistence method relying on hunting and gathering.

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Less Developed Countries (LDCs)

Nations with lower levels of economic development, often with subsistence farming.

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More Developed Countries (MDCs)

Nations with higher levels of economic development, often with commercial agriculture.

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Study Notes

Prehistoric Period

  • Prehistoric period is pre-literary history, lasting from 2.5 million years ago to 3,600 BCE
  • Early humans lived in caves, huts or tepees
  • Were hunter-gatherers
  • Used basic stone and bone tools, including crude stone axes
  • Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic are the three prehistoric ages

Agriculture

  • Agriculture encompasses crop cultivation and livestock rearing
  • Aims for subsistence and economic profit
  • Earliest forms date back to prehistoric times, with domestication of plants and animals
  • Geographic regions of origin are called hearths
  • First Agricultural Revolution marked significant advancements

Origins of Agriculture

  • Agriculture was constrained to specific activities like wet-rice cultivation or cow ranching
  • However, humans can be seen as environmental engineers, significantly altering areas for sustenance
  • Areas can support more plant and animal species used for human needs
  • Domestication is the biological process where organisms are selected for human use, resulting in traits helpful to humans
  • Domesticated plants have enlarged seeds, fruits or tubers
  • Domesticated animals are selected for beneficial qualities

Agriculture in Less Developed Countries

  • Subsistence farming is common in many less developed countries, primarily for household needs not trade
  • Four types of subsistence farming:
    • Shifting agriculture (slash-and-burn) involves clearing land, farming for a few years, then moving to another plot
    • Sedentary farming means continuously growing crops in the same area
    • Nomadic herding involves moving livestock to new pastures
    • Intensive subsistence farming involves intensive cultivation of small plots of land for community needs

Agriculture in More Developed Countries

  • More advanced agricultural technology for higher yields and productivity
  • Commercial farming characteristics: fewer farmers, high mechanization, large-scale operations, and sales to processing entities

Pastoral Nomadism

  • A subsistence farming method centered on herding domesticated animals
  • Often combines reliance on sedentary agriculture and livestock herding
  • Common in dry regions, where animals are moved to find suitable pasture/grazing
  • Often women and children tend crops, while men herd

The Green Revolution

  • Norman Borlaug is a key figure in the Green Revolution
  • Initiated wheat research in Mexico, leading to disease-resistant and high-yield varieties
  • Led to the widespread dissemination of these technologies and higher crop yields in many areas, particularly wheat production in India.
  • Introduced IR8 rice, which expanded rice production in Asia.

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