Page 76 - Berkshire Encyclopedia Of World History Vol I - Abraham to Coal

tfw-16 berkshire encyclopedia of world history

Agriculture represents the single most profound ecological change in the
entire 3.5 billion-year history of life. • NILES ELDREDGE (b. 1943)

Because farmers interfere with their surroundings more could feed more of themselves from a given area than
deliberately than foragers, agriculture magnified the would have been possible using foraging technologies.
human impact on the natural environment and also on Whereas technological change during the era of for-
the cultures and lifeways of humans themselves. Agricul- agers was extensive (it allowed humans to multiply by
turalists manipulated plant and animal species so in- increasing their range), technological change during the
tensely that they began to alter the genetic makeup of agrarian era was intensive (it allowed more humans to
prey species in a process commonly referred to as “domes- live within a given range). As a result, humans and their
tication.” By clearing forests, diverting rivers, terracing domesticates began to settle in larger and denser com-
hillsides, and plowing the land, agriculturalists created munities; as they did so they transformed their ecologi-
landscapes that were increasingly anthropogenic (shaped cal and social environments.The result was a revolution
by human activity). in the pace and nature of historical change.
Finally, by altering their own lifeways, agriculturalists
created new types of communities, radically different in Earliest Evidence of Agriculture
scale and complexity from those of the era of foragers. Dates for the earliest evidence of agriculture remain sub-
Humans did not domesticate just other species; they also ject to revision. At present the earliest clear evidence
domesticated themselves. comes from the corridor between Sudan and Mesopo-
Agriculture does not automatically increase the biolog- tamia that links Africa and Eurasia. In the Fertile Crescent
ical productivity of the land. Indeed, agriculturalists often (the arc of highlands around the great rivers of Meso-
reduce total productivity by removing the many species potamia) grain crops were cultivated from about 8000
for which they have no use.They increase the productivity BCE (ten thousand years ago). In the Sahara Desert west
only of those plants and animals that they find most use- of the Nile River, in lands that then were much less arid
ful; removing undesired plants leaves more nutrients, sun- than they are today, communities may have domesticated
light, and water for domesticated crops such as corn, cattle as early as 9000 or 8000 BCE, and within a thou-
wheat, or rice, while killing wolves and foxes allows cat- sand years these same communities may have started cul-
tle, sheep, and chickens to flourish in safety. By increas- tivating sorghum. In west Africa yam cultivation may also
ing the productivity of favored prey species, humans have begun around 8000 BCE. In China people were

250,000 Years of Human History
(not drawn to scale)

= 10 billion humans Foraging Era
Modern humans spread across Africa ■ >95% of human history

■ 12% of population

250,000 bce 200,000 bce