An Edible History of Humanity

Chapter 1 Modern Maize and cereals evolved from ancient plants with

very different characteristics by proto-farmers planting seeds from plants with desirable traits.

Such mutations made them more practical as foodstuffs but unable to survive in the wild.

Chapter 2 Proto-farmers actually worked much harder than hunter-

gatherers got provide enough food, and many even suffered from malnutrition.

The average height also fell in farming communities. However, to the proto-farmers, the slow shift from hunting

and gathering to agriculture seemed logical.o Hunter-gatherers had been planting small crops in

certain frequented areas to ensure sufficient supply.o As groups became more sedentary, the full transition to

farming seemed logical after success with basic ecosystem manipulation.

o Sedentism also caused a population growth, which may have made agriculture more attractive, though this theory has holes.

Chapter 3 As more food than necessary became available, and certain

“Big Men” used food influentially until socially stratified cities emerged, leading to civilizations.

Chapter 4 Before food was as plentiful as it is today, it was used as

unofficial currency. Rulers taxed food production to sustain the army and other

of the elite’s activities. Foods, along with humans in some cultures, were often

sacrificed to the gods, with the belief that it nourished them. Some leaders were also thought to have power over a harvest.

Chapters 5 and 6

Spiceso Spices initially commanded such high prices because

of the mystery surrounding them, as well as their strong flavors and strong, pleasant scents.

o Spices may have been a large cause of the spread ot the Plague.

o Battles were fought over control of the spice trade, especially by the Portuguese, but in the end, as people grew tired of over spiced food, and the mystery surrounding the spice’s origins were discovered, spices greatly decreased in value.

o However, the spice trade influenced explorers to go out in search of new trade routes to cut out Muslim middlemen, discovering new routes to Asia and even the discovery of the Americas.

Chapter 7 Soon after landing in modern-day Cuba, he expected large

Arabic cities. He found none, but found a food the Indians called Maize. Maize proved to be tasty and well suited to Mediterranean

soil, even soil other traditional plants weren’t. Columbus’ attempts in shipping sugar proved successful as

well, and sugar in turn proved an excellent sweetener for new drinks like tea, cocoa, and coffee.

Attempts to restrict trade in New England were one of many reasons the Declaration of Independence was signed.

While Maize thrived among Mediterranean countries, potatoes were met with prejudice do to its ugly appearance, but eventually became a staple of Ireland, who used the calories to provide wheat for England.

New crops increased output pin the same area of land, allowing England to have plenty of food and land and export enough to begin industrialization.

Chapter 8 Coal further increased production in Britain, allowing it to

collect large enough profits in industrial goods to import food, freeing up land.

The Potato Famineo A widespread failure of the potato crop for multiple

years caused starvation in Ireland unlike anything ever seen.

o Finally England repealed laws constraining imports to Ireland finally replenished food lost in the famine.

Chapter 9 Efficiently gathering food from the land proved to be an

effective way to move quickly for Alexander the Great, a strategy that greatly contributed to Napoleon’s great success, and his mistake in food that caused his downfall.

However, gathering was rendered less useful when canned food and steam locomotive systems.

Chapter 10 When Germany was split, the U.S. and Britain flew food into

Soviet Germany until the conflict ended. Both Stalin of the U.S.S.R. and Mao of China attempted the

collectivization of crops from farmers to prove the advantages of Communism.

Their efforts failed, made worse by their ignorance in taking grain from farmers as if it was working.

Chapter 11 The discovery of how to create Ammonia caused the

creation of much more effective fertilizers, in turn causing a large population boom.

However, to fully take advantage of fertilizers, crossbred “dwarf” breeds of crops were grown to support the weight of enlarged seeds from Maize and cereals, increasing production even more.

Chapter 12 The industrialization of the western world has, for the first

time, caused Asia to lose its spot as the wealthiest area of the world.

However, recent trends show Asia returning to its place of power.

Modern conveniences and increased industrialization has reduced the appeal of numerous children, sure to cause the world population to peak relatively soon.

The Green Revolution and industrialization have allowed humanity to progress at a much greater rate, but has caused environmental problems that need to be the focus of our next step forward.