Neolithic Revolution - Social Studies Essay

Nicole Devaney                                                                                October 8, 2015

Social Studies Essay                                                                                     Period 8

        The Neolithic revolution, also known as the agricultural revolution, was a change in the way of life of our ancestors. This people went from a food gathering and hunting to a food manufacturing civilization. It took place from 8,000 B.C.E till 3,000 B.C.E in the Middle East. The impact from the Neolithic agricultural revolution was immense on the development of the human race and changed their lives in numerous ways.

        The Neolithic Revolution saw the beginning of farming and domestication of animals. “Paleolithic man was a hunter; Neolithic man became a farmer and a herdsman” (Document #4). The beginning of farming came from a need of a sturdy food supply. Since the ice age was over all the large game was gone and there was only small game left. Farming first developed in multiple locations around the globe at approximately the same time frame, but the Middle East was the first to farm wild barley and wheat. Farming caught on slowly though because people resisted because it was a lot of work and they wanted to continue traveling. As the amount of food increased so did the amount of people. In the beginning of the Neolithic age there was only 6 million people and the by the end there was 50 million! “Plant and animal domestication is the key. We grow edible plants ourselves right out of the ground, time after time” (Document #5).  People began domesticating animals instead of following the herd.  The domesticated fourteen large game animals. People no longer had a broad spectrum diet which resulted in nutritional deficiencies. Disease began to go on the rise because of exposure to animals and their poop and the deadly diseases they communicate. Animals, such as pigs, sheep, cows, etc., were used in multiple ways. They were used for milk, hides, and later beasts of burden. The people used animals to carry things and to help them farm. Domestication and farming changed people’s way of life.

        The Neolithic agricultural revolution allowed people to settle down instead of following their food source and pursue other jobs. “It has some of the earlier qualities of hunting, because it is a pursuit; the place and the pace are set by the food animal” (Document #1). Before the Neolithic revolution they led a nomadic life style following their food source all over. Living in one area was seen as boring and the people didn’t accept it at first. Then they began to farm and have permanent settles, which allowed them to have more personally belongings. Not everyone had the same amount of personal belongings which lead to social classes. Before they had permanent settlement they usually had 25-50 in a clan, but after the Neolithic revolution that number increased. “Within the villages, towns and cities, it was possible for people to specialize in the sort of work they could do best” (Document #2). Now that they had a steady food source they didn’t need everyone farming so people began to specialize. Men began to take leadership roles in manufacturing the government and religion, as women took the back seat to them, ruining their egalitarian society. There was a greater separation now between those who ruled and those being ruled. Specialization also led to trade with other countries. Neolithic agricultural revolution allowed people to settle and create a permanent civilization.