Ap HuG Unit 5.3-5.5 Vocab

First (Neolithic) Agricultural Revolution

The period in human history when societies transitioned from hunting and gathering to the domestication of plants and animals, leading to permanent settlements, population growth, and the development of early civilizations.

Agricultural hearth

A region where agriculture was first developed independently, including the domestication of plants and animals that later spread to other regions.

Plant Domestication

The process of growing and selectively breeding wild plants to produce crops that are more productive, reliable, and suitable for human consumption.

Animal Domestication

The selective breeding and raising of animals for human use, including food, labor, transportation, and protection.

Subsistence Farming

An agricultural system in which farmers grow food primarily to feed themselves and their families, with little surplus produced for sale.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, and diseases between the Americas and Afro-Eurasia following European exploration beginning in 1492, which permanently altered global agriculture and populations.

Second Agricultural Revolution

A period of agricultural change beginning in the 1700s, marked by mechanization, improved farming techniques, and increased food production, which supported population growth and urbanization.

Mechanization

The use of machines and new technologies in agriculture to increase efficiency, productivity, and the amount of food produced with less human labor.

Enclosure Acts

British laws that allowed landowners to enclose and privatize common lands, leading to larger farms, more efficient agricultural production, and the displacement of many small farmers.

Crop rotation

The practice of planting different crops in sequence on the same field to maintain soil fertility and reduce nutrient depletion.

Steel (iron) plow

 An agricultural tool developed during the Second Agricultural Revolution that allowed farmers to break through tougher soils, increasing the amount of land that could be cultivated.

Seed drill

 A mechanized farming tool that plants seeds at a consistent depth and spacing, improving efficiency and increasing crop yields.

Reaper / harvester

A mechanized tool used to cut and harvest crops quickly, reducing the need for manual labor and increasing agricultural productivity.

Third Agricultural Revolution

A modern period of agricultural change characterized by the use of science, technology, and global systems to increase food production beginning in the mid-20th century.

Green Revolution

A series of agricultural advancements beginning in the mid-20th century that increased food production through improved seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, and mechanization, especially in developing countries.

Hybridization

The process of crossbreeding two plants with desirable traits to produce a single seed variety with improved yield, disease resistance, or adaptability.

High-yield variety (HYV)

A genetically improved crop variety designed to produce more food per acre, often requiring increased use of fertilizers, irrigation, and pesticides.

Chemical fertilizers

Human-made substances added to soil to increase nutrient availability and boost crop growth and yields.

Pesticides

Chemical substances used to kill or control insects, weeds, and diseases that threaten crop production.