Our Relationship with the Environment Over
Time
A. Hunter-Gatherer Era
Hunter- Gatherers: people who collect plants & hunt wild
animals
• Least impact on environment
• Did prevent growth in grasslands, overhunted some large
mammals, & spread plants to new areas
Giant ground sloth
Bison
B. Agricultural Revolution: ~10,000 years ago to
present
• Agriculture: growing, breeding, & caring for plants &
animals used for food, clothing, etc.
• Lead to exponential population growth
• Grasslands, forests & wetlands destroyed for farmland 
soil & water loss
C. Industrial- Medical Revolution: ~1700s +
1. Started using fossil fuels for energy & mass production
of goods
2. Inventions: light bulb, steam engine,
factory
machinery, vehicles
3. Cities grew
4. Revolutions in health care (antibiotics, vaccines, water
treatment)  longer lives
• 1900s: began using plastics & synthetic chemicals
• Pollution (air, water & land) increased
D. Globalization (Information & Technology)
Revolution: 20th century – present
• Technology helps us understand env. problems
• Rapid exchange of data & idea
• BUT can homogenize Earth’s surface (make all the same)
• Same language
• Same food
• Same organisms – loss of diversity
1. Create a chronological timeline based on the
different era/revolutions discussed in notes
2. MUST include Information & Technology
Revolution, Agriculture Revolution, Hunter
Gatherer Era, Industrial-Medical Revolution
3. For each era/revolution, include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
NAME of era/revolution
Description of change during revolution
Environmental affect of revolution
Image or drawing to illustrate revolution
4. Be creative, colorful and neat!