14. Where did agriculture begin and how did it spread?

Back to History 8 Agriculture Concepts

The first cultivation of grains that were previously found in the wild occurred in the modern day areas of Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel. These grains may have been experimented with or accidentally planted by local hunter gatherers. From around 8000 to 5000 BC, many animals were domesticated and plants began to be planted and harvested regularly. As climate shifts from the end of the Younger Dryas prompted the switch to farming in the Middle East, they also began the spread of agriculture. The climate led to changes in the distribution and growing patterns of certain plants the farmers depended on, and farmers grew more sedentary as the populations in these areas increased.

Sources: Neolithic Revolution Manual 74 http://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/106077

-Leila Pulaski