History of Agricultural History of Agricultural DevelopmentDevelopment

Lecture 1Lecture 1

AGST 3000AGST 3000Agriculture, Society and the Agriculture, Society and the

Natural WorldNatural World

History of AgricultureHistory of Agriculture

Hesoid’s Ages of Man (Greek poet, 8th-Hesoid’s Ages of Man (Greek poet, 8th-7th century B.C.)7th century B.C.)

Man has been on this earth for over 2 Million YearsMan has been on this earth for over 2 Million Years

I.I. Golden age (prehistory) Golden age (prehistory) A. Age of the hunter-gatherer…99% of our A. Age of the hunter-gatherer…99% of our

existanceexistance B. Eden-like preagriculturalB. Eden-like preagricultural

II. Silver Age (8,000 B.C.)II. Silver Age (8,000 B.C.)A. Concept of work bornA. Concept of work bornB. Symbolized by the “Yoke of Oxen”B. Symbolized by the “Yoke of Oxen”

III. Bronze Age (3,500 B.C.)III. Bronze Age (3,500 B.C.)A. Trade developedA. Trade developed

IV. Iron Age (1,500-600 B.C.)IV. Iron Age (1,500-600 B.C.)

Agriculture, Energy, and CivilizationAgriculture, Energy, and Civilization

Earth’s carrying capacity for hunter-Earth’s carrying capacity for hunter-gatherers estimated at 20-30 gatherers estimated at 20-30 million. Today ?million. Today ? (6.7 Bil)(6.7 Bil)

Agricultural and the first cultural Agricultural and the first cultural revolutions developed symbiotically.revolutions developed symbiotically.

Solar energy (harvested through Solar energy (harvested through photosynthesis) fueled the photosynthesis) fueled the agricultural revolution.agricultural revolution.

Fossil fuels drove the industrial Fossil fuels drove the industrial revolution.revolution.

Use of these basic energy sources Use of these basic energy sources stimulated cultural, social, and civil stimulated cultural, social, and civil development.development.

Mechanization/fossil-fuels increased Mechanization/fossil-fuels increased capacity to produce food while capacity to produce food while reducing reducing labor, but also increased labor, but also increased environmental degradation and social environmental degradation and social conflict.conflict.

Agrarian societies viewed children as Agrarian societies viewed children as economic assets (large families were economic assets (large families were necessary for survival).necessary for survival).

Agriculture, Energy, and Civilization…continuedAgriculture, Energy, and Civilization…continued

A Catch 22 developed:A Catch 22 developed:

A.A. More people require more foodMore people require more food

B.B. Requiring more intensive agricultureRequiring more intensive agriculture

C.C. Requiring more energy to produce foodRequiring more energy to produce food

D.D. Leading to more environmental degradation Leading to more environmental degradation (particularly soil erosion)(particularly soil erosion)

E.E. Leading to crop failureLeading to crop failure

F.F. Leading to starvationLeading to starvation

G.G. Leading to migration to new landsLeading to migration to new lands

H.H. Requiring more people to produce foodRequiring more people to produce food

Agriculture, Energy, and Civilization…continuedAgriculture, Energy, and Civilization…continued

Demographic transition –Demographic transition –rising population with shrinking rising population with shrinking

resources.resources.

What about today…what are What about today…what are the resources that are the resources that are shrinking? shrinking?

Agriculture, Energy, and Civilization…continuedAgriculture, Energy, and Civilization…continued

Transition from Transition from Hunting-Gathering to AgricultureHunting-Gathering to Agriculture

Human population growth rate increased slowly:Human population growth rate increased slowly:A.A. .0007-.0020 % /yr..0007-.0020 % /yr. Pleistocene agePleistocene ageB.B. .1 % /yr..1 % /yr. NeolithicNeolithicC.C. 1-2 % /yr.1-2 % /yr. Present dayPresent day

Low birth rate attributed to lifestyle of hunter-Low birth rate attributed to lifestyle of hunter-gatherer – not food scarcity.gatherer – not food scarcity.

Not ignorance of plant growth, but lack of need Not ignorance of plant growth, but lack of need to practice agriculture prevented earlier to practice agriculture prevented earlier development of agriculture.development of agriculture.

Wild seeds were abundant, inexhaustible, Wild seeds were abundant, inexhaustible, and could easily be harvestedand could easily be harvested

• In Turkey, a person could harvest 2.2 lbs. of wild In Turkey, a person could harvest 2.2 lbs. of wild wheat (einkorn, which contains 57% more wheat (einkorn, which contains 57% more protein than current domestic wheat) in an hourprotein than current domestic wheat) in an hour

• In Mexico, an 11-day supply of “wild corn” In Mexico, an 11-day supply of “wild corn” (teosinte) could be gathered in 3.5 hours(teosinte) could be gathered in 3.5 hours

• In Wisconsin, Ojibwa Indians could fill their In Wisconsin, Ojibwa Indians could fill their canoes with wild rice in a few hours.canoes with wild rice in a few hours.

Transition from Transition from Hunting-Gathering to AgricultureHunting-Gathering to Agriculture

Man simultaneously developed Man simultaneously developed agriculture worldwide 10,000 agriculture worldwide 10,000 years ago, after the last Ice years ago, after the last Ice Age…suggests that climate Age…suggests that climate changes contributed to the changes contributed to the cultivation of plants.cultivation of plants.

Transition from Hunting-Gathering to AgricultureTransition from Hunting-Gathering to Agriculturecontinued…continued…

• Hunter Hunter gatherers gatherers settled in settled in small small communities communities in the Fertile in the Fertile Crescent, a Crescent, a narrow band narrow band of land of land arcing arcing across the across the Near East.Near East.

Indus Valley between India and PakistanIndus Valley between India and Pakistan

Pakis

tan

India

Also South Also South America, America, the the tropical tropical coast of coast of Ecuador…Ecuador…squashsquash

and China and China …rice …rice on the on the YangtzeYangtze

Also North America and Mesoamerica (Also North America and Mesoamerica (The Maya The Maya homeland, called Mesoamerica, spans five homeland, called Mesoamerica, spans five countries: countries: Mexico, , Guatemala, , Belize, , Honduras, and , and El Salvador..

New evidence suggests that people New evidence suggests that people cultivated rye over 13,000 years ago, while cultivated rye over 13,000 years ago, while continuing to hunt animals and gather wild continuing to hunt animals and gather wild plants in the Fertile Crescent.plants in the Fertile Crescent.

Suggests this is a long development process Suggests this is a long development process and not an all or nothing scenario.and not an all or nothing scenario.

Hunter-gatherers turn to agriculture only as Hunter-gatherers turn to agriculture only as a last resort when population pressure a last resort when population pressure forces them to acquire more food on forces them to acquire more food on available space.available space.

Transition from Hunting-Gathering to AgricultureTransition from Hunting-Gathering to Agriculturecontinued…continued…

Seed Culture in the Old WorldSeed Culture in the Old World

I. Seed culture originated in drier subtropics I. Seed culture originated in drier subtropics of both hemispheres (8,000-10,000 of both hemispheres (8,000-10,000 years ago)years ago)

A. Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (Fertile A. Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (Fertile Crescent)Crescent)

B. Indus River – Northern India and B. Indus River – Northern India and PakistanPakistan

C. Huang Ho (Yellow River-Yangtze) – C. Huang Ho (Yellow River-Yangtze) – Northern Northern ChinaChina

II.II. Irrigation and long term food storage Irrigation and long term food storage was required – higher degree of social was required – higher degree of social organization required.organization required.

III.III. Major civilizations built in regions of Major civilizations built in regions of seed culture.seed culture.A. Food was potentially abundantA. Food was potentially abundantB. Great effort required to obtain foodB. Great effort required to obtain food

Seed Culture in the Old World continued…Seed Culture in the Old World continued…

VII.VII. Seed culture developed most rapidly in Seed culture developed most rapidly in ecologically diverse regions.ecologically diverse regions.

A. Earliest village farming community in A. Earliest village farming community in western Iran (wheat, barley, and western Iran (wheat, barley, and domestic animals)domestic animals)

B. Provide a rich diversity of plant B. Provide a rich diversity of plant materialsmaterials

VIII.VIII. Cultivation of grains pre-dated Cultivation of grains pre-dated cultivation of fruits by several thousand cultivation of fruits by several thousand years.years.

A. More permanent settlement required A. More permanent settlement required due to long term nature of fruit crops.due to long term nature of fruit crops.

Seed Culture in the Old World continued…Seed Culture in the Old World continued…

IX. As seed cultures moved from highlands IX. As seed cultures moved from highlands to valleysto valleys

A.A. Irrigation developedIrrigation developedB.B. Tillage systems developedTillage systems developedC.C. Selection of varieties improvedSelection of varieties improved

X. Four species of beans - navy, kidney, X. Four species of beans - navy, kidney, lima, and lima, and peanutspeanuts

XI. Squash first developed for edible seedsXI. Squash first developed for edible seeds

Seed Culture in the Old World continued…Seed Culture in the Old World continued…

IV.IV. Cereal grains were early cropsCereal grains were early crops

A. Wet-dry season requirementsA. Wet-dry season requirementsB. Large seed(endosperm) to resist B. Large seed(endosperm) to resist drought/support rapid growth drought/support rapid growth during brief during brief wet periods.wet periods.

V. Ancestral cereals were attractive weedsV. Ancestral cereals were attractive weeds

VI. Domesticated seed crops have shown a VI. Domesticated seed crops have shown a disability to compete with weeds.disability to compete with weeds.

Seed Culture in the Old World continued…Seed Culture in the Old World continued…

Ancestral Wheat and BarleyAncestral Wheat and Barley

Seed Culture in the New WorldSeed Culture in the New WorldI.I. Earliest seed culture practiced in Tehuacan Earliest seed culture practiced in Tehuacan

Valley- Southern MexicoValley- Southern Mexico

A. Corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, A. Corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, peppers, avocadospeppers, avocados

B. Semi-arid area surrounded by B. Semi-arid area surrounded by foothills and mountains with foothills and mountains with increasing increasing level of precipitationlevel of precipitation

II.II. Corn was difficult to domesticate and there Corn was difficult to domesticate and there were no herd animals to domesticate.were no herd animals to domesticate.

III.III. Crops dictated cultural evolution?Crops dictated cultural evolution?

IV.IV. Some people believe that the cultural gap Some people believe that the cultural gap between peoples of two hemispheres was due between peoples of two hemispheres was due to adaptability of native plants and animals.to adaptability of native plants and animals.

V.V. Maize-bean-squash complexMaize-bean-squash complex

A. Corn-tall, first claim to moisture and sunA. Corn-tall, first claim to moisture and sun

B. Bean vines – climbed up corn stalks, B. Bean vines – climbed up corn stalks, N-fixingN-fixing

C. Squash – on ground, minimized weed C. Squash – on ground, minimized weed growthgrowth

Seed Culture in the New World Seed Culture in the New World continued…continued…

Origin of VegecultureOrigin of Vegeculture

I.I. Vegeculture probably began in the Vegeculture probably began in the tropics, most commonly in lowland tropics, most commonly in lowland areas.areas.

II.II. Early fisherman probably practiced Early fisherman probably practiced first agriculture.first agriculture.

A. Using plant substances to stun fishA. Using plant substances to stun fishB. Fishing permitted a settled life.B. Fishing permitted a settled life.C. Settled life favored agricultureC. Settled life favored agriculture

III.III. Early vegetables were rich in starch Early vegetables were rich in starch A.A. Sweet potato and yamSweet potato and yamB.B. TaroTaro

IV.IV. Growing areas were incompletely Growing areas were incompletely cleared and burned forests: Swiddens cleared and burned forests: Swiddens (temporary agricultural plots cut from (temporary agricultural plots cut from primary primary and secondary forests)and secondary forests)

V.V. Early crops may not have been Early crops may not have been grown grown for food: most probably for for food: most probably for fiber and fiber and ceremonial purposes.ceremonial purposes.

Origin of Vegeculture continued…Origin of Vegeculture continued…

End of Presentation….JournalEnd of Presentation….Journal