The+Agricultural+Revolutions

Vegetative Planting

A method of plant cultivation where new plants are produced from existing plants through techniques such as cutting stems and dividing roots.

Seed Agriculture

The production of plants through the annual planting of seeds, which came later than vegetative planting.

Carl Sauer

A cultural geographer who believed that vegetative planting was the earliest form of plant cultivation and identified three hearths for seed agriculture.

Agricultural Hearths

Geographical locations where agricultural innovations originated, including specific regions noted for vegetative planting and seed agriculture.

Diffusion

The process by which vegetative planting spread from Southeast Asia to other regions such as China, Japan, and various parts of Africa and Europe.

Neolithic Revolution

A period from 10,000 BCE to 2,000 BCE characterized by the creation of settled societies and permanent food resources through agricultural innovations.

Animal Domestication

The process of taming wild animals for human use, leading to a stable food supply and resulted in various animals being domesticated across different regions.

Irrigation

The channeling of water to fields, a crucial innovation during the first agricultural revolution.

Canning and Pasteurization

Methods of food preservation that emerged during the Second Agricultural Revolution, enhancing food safety and longevity.

Green Revolution

A period of agricultural transformation from the 1940s to the 1990s that involved the use of GMO foods and technological advancements to increase crop yields.

Hydroponic

A method of growing plants without soil, using mineral nutrient solutions in an aqueous solvent, often used in urban agriculture.

Locavore

A person who primarily eats food grown or produced locally.

Monoculture

The agricultural practice of growing a single crop variety over a wide area, which can lead to decreased genetic diversity.

GMO

Genetically Modified Organisms, genetically engineered for enhanced traits, especially in agriculture.

Colombian Exchange

The widespread exchange of crops, animals, and ideas between the Old World (Europe, Asia, Africa) and the New World (Americas) that began after Columbus's voyages.

Urbanization

The process by which an increasing percentage of a population lives in cities, resulting from the growth of cities and a decline in rural populations.