15. What changes in the role of humanity did the agricultural revolution bring about?

The advent of agriculture in human society allowed us to become producers in nature, cultivating crops and breeding animals when before we had been hunters and gatherers, only consuming the Earth's resources. The emergence of true agriculture (domestication of both animals and plants) brought about changes in the human psyche as well. Storing resources for later use and protecting that supply from harm reinforced the qualities of responsibility and sacrifice and made humans more inclined to settle down in permanent towns and cities. Civilization was jump-started by the agricultural revolution and humans were transformed from consumers into producers.

Jack Shea

Sources:

CF Manual, pg. 67

CEC, Agriculture and Social Change, http://cec.vcn.bc.ca/cmp/modules/cha-agr.htm