Ag. Studies 1000
Summary of Pages 1 to 17
By Jason Baker, Chase Barendregt, Ryan Baumann, Magda Kuniel, and
Kanda Benaschak
Introduction
The purpose of the course reader is to bring together many
different texts to cover a wide range of material. The problem with the
concepts in the evolution of agriculture is that there are too many
books with a wide variety of topics. Some texts are too detailed while
others supply little or no information concerning Canadian content.
This course reader is a customized version of agriculture history
for a Canadian audience, and for the use, with the help of the
lectures, to meet the course demands
In the introduction , it describes what is in the course reader. The
Origins of Agriculture. It introduces the beginnings of agriculture
and impact on the growth of civilizations. It describes pre industrial
agriculture, medieval Europe, agricultural revolution, issues in
industrial agriculture, and the Canadian experience.
There are different things to explain how agriculture originated and
how long humans took to domesticate plants and animals. Progress in a
civilization results in a surplus in production. ( food, clothing,
shelter, and other necessities by farmers, herders, fishers, loggers,
minors, hunters, and trappers) These are the limiting factors that
must be supplied before other civilizers can exist and function
To have progress in a civilization, there must be "favorable
environmental conditions" and as well as a "will to progress". The
type of environment will effect the type of progression the people will
have.
In brief, you must learn history so you don't repeat it and the study
of the Canadian Agriculture experience illustrates the nature of such
reoccurring themes. Change in Agriculture is inevitable, and we must
except it. Instead of resisting change we should plan for the best
change.
The Origins of Agriculture
The explanation of the origins of agriculture are subject to
controversy. The exact date and length of the period ranges from a few
hundred or a few thousand years. The identity of the plants and
animals have been found but the question is how long had human
management "molded" these species to get the change.
Debates become more common when we take into consideration the theories
which try to explain the origins. Although many historians don't tend
to agree on the progress of certain regions over others, most do agree
that the environment does play a huge factor. Carter and Dale are not
alone in arguing that a societies success depends on its ability to
manage their environment to suit their food sources.
"civilization is a condition of mankind co-acting with an
environment in such a way that progress results. Regardless of the
forces that stimulate cultural progress, both civilization and the
enjoyment of civilization rest on a surplus production by those who
supply the necessities of life. By surplus production, we mean a
surplus above the actual needs of the primary producers. A surplus
production of food, clothing, shelter and or other necessities by
farmers, herders, fishers, loggers, miners, hunters, trappers and other
primary producers is necessary before civilization can start.
Furthermore, such surplus must continue on a relatively stable basis if
civilization is to keep advancing. The primary producers must supply a
surplus before artisans, designers, engineers, scientists,
philosophers, writers, artists and other civilizers can exist and
function."
(Carter and Dale,p.9 out of Coursepack- The Evolution of
Agriculture)
Carter and Dale further argue that the decline of civilizations is due
to the abuse of their favorable environments. By destroying the area
they lived in it effected the type and speed of progression the people
had in that particular area.
It is very important that every student understands that only a
portion of the earths present population could be supported by hunting
and gathering. Agriculture transformed the world to the way it is today
and we would not have changed as quickly as we did if we were still
living the way of the hunter-gatherer.
True Beginnings
Humans started out as hunter - gathers. Hunting wild game and
collecting wild plants native to the area. In the last eleven thousand
years people started domesticating plants and animals for the "Purpose
of consuming the offspring or fruits". They did this so they did not
have to follow the herds and they would have food all year round.
Domestication is a change in species caused by human
intervention. Humans bread these species selectivity. They did this to
keep the desired traits and remove the undesirable ones. Domesticated
crops are crosses between species done intentionally but many crops
emerged as a result of unintentional actions.
Evidences of food production starts around 11,000 B.C, at the end
of the Pleistocene Era and the last Ice Age, and the beginning of the
Holocene or Recent Era. Direct evidence points to 8500 B.C. to 7000
B.C. in Southwest Asia, Peru, and Mexico. But indirect evidence of
food production can be found at 7000 B.C. in Southeast Asian-Melanesian
area. As a final point, there is uncertain proof of earlier crop
development around 12000 B.C. in Taiwan. It is very unclear to when
exactly crop production and domestication of animals actually began.
The article taken from
are Five areas there species
independently from any other
uncertainty whether the rise
some other place.
"Guns, Germs, and Steel" states that there
domestication has taken place
source, and Four more where some
of food production there was influenced by
1. Southwest Asia
- wheat, pea, olive, sheep, goats
2. China
-rice, millet, pig, and silkworm 7500 B.C.
3. Mesoamerica
-corn, beans, squash, and the turkey 3500 B.C.
4. Andes and Amazonia
B.C.
-potato, manioc, llama, and the guinea pig 3500
5. Eastern United States
8500 B.C.
-sunflower, and the goosefoot 2500 B.C.
6. Sahel
B.C.
7. Tropical West
-sorghum, African rice, and guinea fowl 5000
8. Ethiopia
-coffee, and the teff
9. New Guinea
-sugar cane, and the banana 7000 B.C.
-African yams, and the oil palm 3000 B.C.
unknown B.C.
Local Domestication Following the Arrival of Founder Crops form
Elsewhere
10. Western Europe
11. Indus Valley
-poppy, and the oat
6000 - 3500 B.C.
-sesame, eggplant, and the humped cattle
7000 B.C.
12. Egypt
-sycamore fig, chufa, donkey, and the cat
6000 B.C.
In these areas where food production depended on the arrival of crops
that originated from elsewhere, did the hunter-gatherers take on this
new practice, or were they killed, driven out, or just finally wiped
out buy being out numbered by the farmers that came into the area. In
Egypt, Europe, Asia, the hunter-gathers added the farming and breeding
to their own diet
In conclusion, only a few areas of the world developed
independent food production which eventually spread all over the world.
This drove out or destroyed virtually all the hunter gathers and change
the way humans provide food for themselves forever.