Chapter 2: First Farmers

Jose Betancourt

First Farmers

09/11/12

                            (The Revolutions of Agriculture): 10,000 B.C.E. -3000B.C.E.

          On this chapter there is a focus on the so-called agricultural revolution. It is interesting how now humans, both men and women were not only using nature but were changing what they found through technology. "They were consciously 'directing' the process of evolution. The actions of farmers n America, for example, transformed corn from a plant with cob of an inch or so to one measuring about six inches by 1500"(Ways of The World, A Brief Global History, Robert W. Strayer, 36). Innovation is what strikes my thoughts when I read about how ancient peoples were very innovative and how they were in some aspect changing moving or accelerating the processes of evolution. 

         Some historians suggest that towards the end of the ice age about 11,000 years ago, agriculture rose. "The end of the last Ice Age, However, Coincided with the migration of homo sapiens across the planet and created new conditions that made agriculture possible"(37). Once again, it reminds me of my first post about the innovative Homo sapiens reality. What I mean by that, is that ancient peoples were very innovative and figured out to understand agriculture, with the most basic technology. Some scholars also say that when humans found wetter, and more humid grounds, it made it possible for humans to grow different plants. It seemed that the evolution of the world, was paving the road for future humans and future generations. Furthermore, in different places around the world, people grew different plants or just a different variety of vegetables. For example in Mexico, corn was part of their daily diet.

            Furthermore, although agriculture was a great new innovation, it also brought a lot of health issues. The reason for that it’s because farming asked for more workers and for people to work harder than the usual work one did during the Paleolithic times. “The remains of early agricultural people show some deterioration in health-more tooth decay and anemia”(47).  It is just so interesting to know how agriculture was a good innovation, but also one that totally changed the lives of all humans. It in many ways forced them to stay in one place (now they have to simply feel satisfied without moving, and disregard their desire of moving). Lastly, the reality about agriculture also brought another question. That question was of whom would lead the people or what rules must be followed. Some agriculture in Mesopotamia used the rule of chiefdoms. The chiefs would be generous people, or were supposed to be generous people. Chiefs would have to be kind to the people. For example some temple priests 6000 BCE, would set and organize irrigation systems and they controlled the trade between societies (51). Finally chiefdoms begun to come about in other places around the world, but it seemed that chiefdoms and many ways and forms were the primal way of doing law or having rules.