Technological Change and Population Growth
At different times in human history, revolutionary discoveries in technology have
changed the way people live and the earth’s carrying capacity. Earth’s carrying
capacity is the number of people that the world’s resources can support using the
technology that exists at that time.
Stages of Human History
Stage 1 – Hunting and Gathering
-people were nomadic hunters and gatherers.
-the food supply of these societies were not reliable and therefore population growth did
not increase at a steady rate.
-A large area of land was needed to support a relatively small group of people and
therefore the world’s carrying capacity was low.
-The world population was a few tens of millions of people. Before the population could
increase substantially, a more reliable food supply had to be developed.
Stage 2 – The Agricultural Revolution
-The development of agriculture is the most important innovation in history.
-Agriculture developed independently in many places around the world at different times.
-Agriculture was practiced more than 10 000 year ago
-Farming allowed for the creation of food surplus which led to increased reliability, the
beginning of writing (to track what they had), trade, jobs and the formations of towns and
cities.
-Development of farming and agricultural productivity increased the earth’s carrying
capacity
Stage 3 – The Industrial Revolution
-By the 1700’s agriculture productivity had advanced significantly but was limited by
energy sources. Until this point, energy came from human and animal muscle power.
-The solution was the invention of machines using steam power – led to the industrial rev.
-Sources of power developed from windmill to coal in the late 1700’s and oil in the late
1800’s
-Human strengths changed from muscles to intellect and skill.
-Less farmers were needed so many people migrated to cities or other colonies.
-The earth’s carrying capacity increased greatly.