Intro +Ch1 Edible History of Food

Food's Influence

Food influences social organization, politics, economics, war, trade, industrialization, and population growth

Staple Crops by Region

Barley and wheat originated in the Middle East, millet and rice in Asia, and maize and potatoes in the Americas

Crops as Human Invention

Early farmers selected desirable plant traits, meaning crops are essentially a human invention; humans change plants, and plants change society

Food Surpluses

Support political centralization and job specialization; control over food creates economic hierarchies, since food is wealth and control of food is power

Spice Routes

Trade routes that encouraged the sharing of goods, religion, and science between regions

European Spice Trade Motivation

Europeans wanted access to Asian spices without relying on existing spice trade routes, leading to voyages that resulted in contact with the Americas and subsequent colonization

Sugar and Potatoes (Industrial Revolution)

Sugar plantations helped drive early industrialization; potatoes offered high calories at low cost as cheap food

Irish Potato Famine

A famine that influenced Britain's shift toward industrialization

Food and War

Food supply influences war; instead of directly attacking soldiers, an enemy can destroy crops, take livestock, block food shipments, prevent food from reaching cities, or surround/"starve" an enemy population

Napoleon's Armies (Food Example)

Napoleon's armies were so large and traveled so far that they were difficult to feed

Cold War (Food/Ideology)

An ideological weapon competition between communism and capitalism over which economic and political system could provide a better standard of living

Green Revolution

Period of major agricultural development from 1940-2000 that increased global food supply and helped prevent widespread famine, but caused ecological damage

Domestication Trade-off

Through domestication, crops became more useful to humans but less capable of surviving independently

Maize

Evolved from teosinte (wild Mexican grass); prized for high caloric density, long-term storability, and adaptability to diverse climates; became dependent on humans through domestication

Tga1 Gene

Maize gene mutation that exposed kernels, making them easier to eat

Tb1 Gene

Maize gene mutation that produced fewer, larger ears that were easier to collect

Maize and Pellagra

Maize lacks certain nutrients, so a heavy maize diet without preparation can cause pellagra

Nixtamalization

Process of cooking maize in an alkaline solution with ash to increase its nutritional value and make kernels easier to prepare

Maize/Food Origin Myths

Common myths (Aztec, Maya, Inca, Chinese) linking maize or rice to creation, civilization, or saving humans from starvation; a common theme is the transformation of foragers into civilized society

Shatterproof Grain

A domesticated trait in grasses where the grain stays firmly attached to the plant instead of shattering and falling at maturity, making harvesting easier; this trait was selected for by early farmers

Self-Threshing Wheat

Wheat trait in which the grain separates more easily from its covering

Domesticated Rice Traits

Domesticated rice became taller and larger, with more branches and larger grains

Domesticated Animal Traits

Domesticated animals became less physically capable and more docile for human use

Farming and Surplus

A surplus of food allowed for new lifestyles and job specialization