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| − | With the Ice Age finally ended, plants and animals revived and flourished and brought new life to the earth. One of the type of plants that grew in abundance were the grains. They included wheat and barley, which proved essential to the development of modern humans. Wheat and barley, among other grains, are considered the predecessors to agriculture and crops. In turn, agriculture and crops are the beginnings of civilization. The humans living at that time were fully modern, with our brain capacity and creative intelligence. Since the grains grew in such abundance, a nomadic lifestyle was no longer necessary. Food was literally right around the corner, and while the nomadic lifestyle did not expire completely, it diminished in importance. These modern humans ate the grains in the form of flat bread. Once again, they utilized their intelligence by figuring out a way to actually eat the grains - they couldn't just eat it off the stalk. So they invented mortars and pestles, and ground the grain until it was a pretty fine powder, and then mixed it with either fat or water (any kind of adhesive that would "glue" the grains together). They then used fire to heat stones, and they placed the grain and water/fat mixture on top of the stones to cook. This is just another example of the modern humans intelligence and creativity. However, the real value of the discovery of grains is not that it gave them food - although that is important. The true importance of their discovery is that because the grains grew plentifully, the humans no longer had to be nomadic. Humans could settle down and form clans and eventually civilizations. The advent of grains is the real cause behind the road to civilization and our society today.
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| − | However, the farming society had its drawbacks as well. Typically, hunter gatherers were healthier, do less work for the same amount of food, and are less prone to famine. Additionally, with the beginnings of society, we also get the beginnings of social class. We get governments and social systems, and lower and upper classes. No longer are the societies egalitarian; now everyone has a position and are expected to fulfill it - and some positions are less excellent than others. While the advent of grains brought along civilization, civilization came with all its flaws as well - the flaws in society that we commonly deal with today. Class discrimination, increased social power to some individuals (possible tyranny), and perhaps, as the population increased, even poverty.
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| − | Sabrina Hu
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| − | Class notes (7-18-14).
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| − | The Origins of Agriculture. Ran Prieur, n.d.''1993'' Web. 18 Nov. 2014.
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| − | <http://www.ranprieur.com/readings/origins.html>.
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Revision as of 08:26, 26 October 2015
Back to The First Farmers Video Notes
