Name: ________________________________________________________ Date: __________________________________
Chapter 2 – Lesson 1 – Early Agriculture
Guided Study Notes
1) When did the Neolithic Era begin?
It began about 10,000 years ago.
2)
What is another name for Neolithic Era?
The “New” Stone Age
3) In this period what did people begin doing?
People began staying in one place, and began to farm.
4)
What does revolution mean?
Revolution means a complete change in the ways of thinking, working, or living.
5)
What did historians call this time?
Historians called it the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution
The Birth of Farming
6)
How did Earth’s climate, land, and water change at the end of the last Ice Age?
Temperatures increased, and rainfall changed. Glaciers began to shrink, which made
ocean levels rise. Land began to support different plants and animals.
7)
How did early humans change their environment after the Ice Age ended?
People ckeared vegetation, discovered ways to plant seeds for food, and expanded the
ways they domesticated animals for food or to get food.
8) What does domesticate mean?
Domesticate means to change the growth of plants or behavior of animals in ways that
are useful to humans.
The next three questions are about the, History of Domestication chart on page 83:
9)
Which animal was the first to be domesticated? When?
Dogs about 20,000 to 15,000 years ago
Name: ________________________________________________________ Date: __________________________________
10)
Chapter 2 – Lesson 1 – Early Agriculture
Guided Study Notes
When did people domesticate chickens?
About 8,000 years ago
11)
Were pigs domesticated before or after chickens?
Pigs were domesticated before chickens
12)
What did people notice about seeds?
That if seeds were scattered on the ground, new plants would grow there the next year.
13)
What were the differences between wild and domesticated plants and animals?
Domesticated plants produced more food than wild plants and may have bigger or
better fruits. Domesticated animals are often smaller than wild animals of the same
type.
14)
How did domesticating plants and animals change the food supply for humans?
It increased the food supply and made it more reliable.
15) Why did historians label stages of history according to material names?
The names link to the materials human in that time period used to make tools.
16) Did the goal of cutting cereal crops change over time? Explain.
The goal did not change. It was to cut down grain.
17)
How did the method for cutting cereal crops change over time? Explain.
People developed tools that were increasingly efficient.
The Spread of Farming
18)
Where do historians believe agriculture began? Explain.
Southwestern Asia. Domesticated and wild wheat seeds found in the area are similar.
This means that the domesticated types came naturally from the area.
19)
What were the first seeds that people started to plant?
Wheat and barley
Name: ________________________________________________________ Date: __________________________________
Chapter 2 – Lesson 1 – Early Agriculture
Guided Study Notes
20)
How were the crops in the agriculture centers of southwestern Asia different from those in
what is now Mexico?
In southwestern Asia, people grew wheat. In Mexico, they grew gourds.
21)
Name 3 costs of farming:



22)
Time and energy needed for planting or herding
Uncertainty of success due to weather or disease
Danger of attack from nomads
Name 3 benefits of farming:
 Food surplus
 Smaller land needs
 Building of permanent homes
 New materials for clothing
New Ways of Living
23)
How did farming change people’s shelter?
Farming allowed people to settle, so they needed permanent homes. These had to be
stable shelters that would last longer. This pushed people to experiment with new
materials, such as mud-and-straw walls.
24)
What factors helped Catalhoyuk grow into an important farming village?
Water and building materials were easily available. The land supported grain and
sheep and goat herding
25)
What can you conclude about religion at Catalhoyuk from the images and text on page 87?
People worshipped regularly and in groups. As seen by the large room they built for
worship. They had shared burial beliefs.
26)
What do the roof entrances suggest about how people at Catalhoyuk viewed their
surroundings?
The roof entrances suggest that people viewed their surroundings as dangerous.
Homes had limited entry and allowed people coming out a good view of the
surroundings.
27)
What material did people begin using for clothing? What plant was linen made from?
Flax
Name: ________________________________________________________ Date: __________________________________
Chapter 2 – Lesson 1 – Early Agriculture
Guided Study Notes
28)
Explain the process that led to trade.
Specialization led to new skills and products, which people traded for food.
30)
What happened after people built settled communities?
Tools and crops improved, creating food surpluses.
31)
Look at the flowchart on page 88, how are the communities at the end of the flowchart
different from those at the beginning?
They reflect permanent settlement, are larger, and include more diverse jobs.
32)
What is surplus?
More than what is needed
33)
Define specialization:
Focus on working at one job or skill.
34)
How did government take shape in Neolithic villages?
Heads of families began to consult with each other and make decisions for the
community
35)
How did permanent settlement lead to social differences?
As people had permanent homes, they could begin to accumulate possessions. Those
who had more would eventually have higher social standing than those who had less.