Agricultural Revolutions and Economic Sectors

Flashcards of key vocabulary related to agriculture.

Primary Sector

The part of the economy that extracts and harvests products from the earth. Examples include agriculture, mining, and forestry.

Secondary Sector

The part of the economy that manufactures finished goods. Examples include factories, construction, and energy production.

Tertiary Sector

The part of the economy that provides services. Examples include retail, healthcare, and education.

Quaternary Sector

The part of the economy that involves intellectual activities. Examples include research, development, and information technology.

Quinary Sector

The part of the economy that involves high-level decision-making. Examples include top executives and government officials.

First Agricultural Revolution

The transition from hunting and gathering to sedentary agriculture.

Subsistence farming

Farming where nearly all the crops or livestock raised are used to maintain the farmer and the farmer's family, leaving little, if any, surplus for sale or trade. EX: growing corn to feed your family or raising chickens for eggs consumed at home. This type of farming focuses on self-sufficiency rather than commercial purposes.

Extensive agriculture

A crop or livestock system where land quality or extent is more important than capital or labor inputs. EX: nomadic herding, ranching, and wheat farming. uses large areas of land with minimal labor and capital inputs, focusing on the quantity of land rather than intensive production methods.

Shifting cultivation

An agricultural system in which plots of land are cultivated temporarily, then abandoned and allowed to revert to their natural vegetation while the cultivator moves on to another plot. This method involves rotating fields to restore soil fertility and is often practiced in tropical regions. slash-and-burn agriculture where forests are cleared for farming, and the land is left fallow after a few years. Also known as swidden agriculture.

Slash and burn agriculture

A farming method involving the cutting and burning of plants in a forest or woodland to create fields. This technique is used in shifting cultivation, where the cleared land is farmed for a few years before being abandoned to recover. Ex

Second Agricultural Revolution

Increased the productivity of farming through mechanization and access to market areas due to infrastructure development. It enabled the shift from subsistence farming to more commercial agriculture, leading to greater food production and reduced labor needs. EX:

Von Thunen Model

A model that explains the location of agricultural activities in a commercial economy. A process of spatial competition allocates various farming activities into rings around a central market city, with profit-earning capability the determining force in how far a specific crop locates from the market.

Third Agricultural Revolution (Green Revolution)

Involved the development and spread of higher-yielding varieties of crops, particularly wheat and rice. This revolution also included the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and advanced irrigation techniques to increase agricultural productivity and food security globally.

Genetically modified organisms (GMO)

Organisms that have been genetically engineered to express desired traits. This process often involves the introduction of new genes through biotechnology, resulting in increased crop resilience, higher yields, and enhanced nutritional value.

Township and range system

A rectangular land division scheme designed to disperse settlers evenly across farmlands of the US interior. It uses a grid system to create townships, divided into sections for easy identification and organization of land use.

Metes and bounds system

A system of land surveying east of the Appalachian Mountains relying on natural landscape features. It defines property boundaries based on physical landmarks and distances, often resulting in irregularly shaped parcels.

Long lot survey system

A system of land surveying that divides land into narrow parcels stretching back from rivers, roads, or canals. This method was commonly used in French colonial territories, facilitating access to water and transportation for agricultural use.

Intensive subsistence agriculture

Agriculture in which farmers must expend a relatively large amount of effort to produce the maximum feasible yield from a parcel of land. This type of agriculture is often practiced in densely populated regions and relies heavily on manual labor, polyculture, and the careful management of soil and water resources.

Double cropping

Harvesting twice a year from the same field. This practice allows farmers to increase their overall yield and make better use of their arable land.

Intercropping

Growing two or more different crops at the same time on a field. This method maximizes land use and can improve soil health, pest management, and yield diversity.

Koppen System

A system for classifying climates based on temperature and precipitation. It uses specific criteria to categorize different climate zones, aiding in agricultural planning and study.

Plantation agriculture

Agriculture performed on large farms in less developed countries primarily for export. This type of agriculture relies on the cultivation of cash crops, such as coffee, sugar, and cotton, often utilizing monoculture practices and extensive labor.

Livestock ranching

The raising of domesticated animals for the production of meat and other by-products. This practice can also include dairy production, wool, and leather.

Mediterranean agriculture

Agriculture practiced in regions with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. It typically involves the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, and olives, along with the raising of sheep and goats.

Cash crops

Crops grown for profit. They are typically sold in markets rather than consumed by the farmer, examples include tobacco, coffee, and cotton.

Agribusiness

Commercial agriculture characterized by integration of different steps in the food-processing industry, usually through ownership by large corporations. It encompasses production, processing, distribution, and retail.

Commodity chain

A process used by firms to gather resources, transform them into goods or commodities, and finally, distribute them to consumers. It involves coordination among various stages such as production, processing, and marketing.

Cold chain

A temperature-controlled supply chain. It is crucial for preserving perishable goods such as food and pharmaceuticals during storage and transportation to ensure quality and safety.

Luxury crops/plantation crops

Specialty crops such as coffee, cacao, tea, and tobacco. These crops are often grown in tropical climates and are typically produced for export to wealthier markets.

Specialty agriculture

Farming of crops including fruits, vegetables, and tree nuts. This form of agriculture focuses on high-value crops that often require specific cultivation techniques and may be sold directly to consumers or through local markets.

Food desert

An area that has limited access to affordable and nutritious food.

Carl Sauer

Geographer who defined the concept of cultural landscape as the area that is modified by human habitation. He emphasized the relationship between culture and the environment.

Agricultural hearth

Centers of origin of domesticated plants and animals. These regions are significant for the development of agriculture and play a crucial role in the spread of farming practices.

Subsidy

A government payment that supports a business or market. Subsidies are often used to encourage production or lower prices of essential goods.

Aquaculture

The cultivation of seafood under controlled conditions. It involves farming various aquatic organisms, including fish, shellfish, and seaweed, in freshwater and marine environments.

Biotechnology

The manipulation of living organisms or their components to produce useful products. This includes genetic engineering, molecular biology, and cell culture techniques to enhance crop yields and resistance.

Columbian Exchange

The exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and technologies between the Americas and the rest of the world following Columbus's voyages.

Fair trade

Trade in which fair prices are paid to producers in developing countries.

Free trade

International trade free of government interference.

Sustainable development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.