The Neolithic Agricultural Revolution

The Neolithic Age of early human history took place around 10, 000 B.C. to 40, 000 B.C.  During the Neolithic Age, the Neolithic Revolution occurred around 80, 000 B.C. It was a radical and fundamental change in living patterns. The Neolithic Revolution marked the shift from hunter-gathered societies to agricultural societies. The Neolithic Revolution is also called the agricultural revolution. The Neolithic peoples developed the technologies and systems for the systematic agriculture such as the systematic growing and storing of food.

The biggest shift was a change from the gathering plants and hunting animals for sustenance to producing nutrition by the systemic agriculture. The systemic agriculture became possible because the Neolithic peoples learnt to use the tools they created and seeds they collected, to farm (Schwanitz 79). The planting and harvesting of vegetables and grains yielded a constant food supply. Animals were domesticated to help with the heavy work of farming, while supplying a constant source of milk, meat, skin, and wool. Larger cattle could also be used to carry the burdens (Olsson 56). The holding of food-producing animals and the growing of crops formed new relationships between the nature and humans. 

Many people did not have to farm to survive in the urban settlements, because farmers grew more food than they needed for themselves. These urban dwellers did other work, such as weaving, creating pottery, building, and trading with other peoples. Franz Schwanitz argues that, “The societies of farmers and animal breeders that stemmed from the centers of origin generally spread their new mode of life by gradually colonizing diverse exploitable territories of the planet” (Schwanitz 123). The humans also became spiritual, religious, and governmental leaders.

In conclusion, the Agricultural Revolution is believed to be one of the most significant achievements in the human society. Revolutionary change was very dramatic and required a lot of efforts, but the capacity to obtain the nutrition on the regular basis gave the people a great control over the environment. It enabled humans to settle in one location and form stable, permanent communities, instead of being nomadic. The increase in food supply also led to a noticeable expansion of the population. These stable communities eventually became the first villages, towns, and cities. The Neolithic Revolution marked the beginning of widespread civilization.