EVOLUTION OF MAN ASSIGNMENT.
(25 marks)
Date Due_____________
The term “Neolithic (Agricultural) Revolution” is applied to a set of
changes that occurred in human lifestyles, which had major impacts on
the environment. These commenced about 11,000 years ago in the Fertile
Crescent of the Middle East and then spread out from there.
Answer the following questions.
1. Why did the Agricultural Revolution start in the Fertile Crescent?
2. Which plants were used for growing the first crops?
3. What is emmer and how was it developed?
4. Which were the first animals to be domesticated?
5. What is meant by “slash and burn” agriculture? Why was it used?
6. What were the consequences of the Neolithic Revolution for
population size?
(6 marks)
During this time, human habitation changed from a nomadic lifestyle to
living in settled communities and villages. New crafts developed as
people had more time available to them. Less time was spent hunting and
gathering.
7. Use of metals has been associated with early agriculture. Outline the
uses of copper (including its alloy bronze); gold and iron around 5000
years ago.
(4 marks)
8. When and in which part of the world did the first cities appear?
(2 marks)
9. Why was the agricultural revolution necessary for the development of
civilisation?
(2 marks)
10. Writing is a significant cultural development, describe the way
writing is thought to have come about?
(3 marks)
The answers to the above questions have enabled you to write
an extended answer to the following question. “Outline the
main factors which contributed to the development of the
agricultural revolution which occurred in the Middle East
11,000 years ago.” (You have done this by answering
questions 1 to 10.)
In order to answer the question below, you can also break that
question into smaller bits of information, by answering
questions 11 to 14.
The rate of cultural evolution has far exceeded the rate of biological
evolution in the species Homo sapiens. Discuss this statement, using
examples up to the present day.
11. Define cultural evolution.
12. Define biological evolution.
13. Why is biological evolution slow? (How is it transmitted?)
14. Why is cultural evolution fast? (How is it transmitted?)
15. What else helped to speed up cultural development?
(8 marks)