Knowt
agriculture
How did people get food before the origin of agriculture?
People gathered, fished, and hunted for food before the origin of agriculture. This was because they couldn’t grow anything themselves
sometimes the native americans would corner bison on the edge of a cliff and force them to jump, killing them and then eating their meat
fished for cod upstream (they were slower)
How did tools and fire affect the primitive hunter?
Tools allowed for hunting to become more effective while fire allowed for controlled burnings like cooking food and forcing animals into a ravine or off a cliff to be killed
What is agriculture?
The purposeful growing of crops and raising livestock to produce feed for livestock, food for people, and or fiber for textiles
helps people live today (w/o we would be without food)
What is plant domestication? Where did it first occur?
A farmer chooses seeds from the best (largest and hardiest) plants and saves them for the next season and plants them over and over again. After a while, the domesticated plants will be larger than the plants that have been growing in the wild, making more food and growing better quality crops
The Fertile Crescent was where plant domestication first occurred (by Saudi Arabia and Mesopotamia)
What is a root crop? What is a seed crop? (from notes)
A root crop is made by cultivating (growing) a plant’s root or cutting. Root crops do not last a long time and after being cultivated, they must be transferred immediately
A seed crop is grown from a plant’s seeds. Seed crops last a longer period of time without planting, which allows farmers to consider the best harvesting times and the crop cycles
How did agriculture affect civilizations?
Agriculture allowed for there to be an increase in food security. With the growth of enough grain to store, people were able to settle in one place permanently and create towns and villages with jobs that allow the village to function smoothly (like farmers, soldiers, shamans, etc). Trade had also increased among the agricultural hearths.
people didn’t have to worry about food as much
What is animal domestication? When were animals first domesticated?
Animal domestication is the adaptation of wild animals for human use.
Animals were first domesticated ten thousand years ago in around 8000 bce. In the Fertile Crescent (modern-day Iran), goats were domesticated.
What was the main use for domesticated animals?
The main use of domesticated animals was to make farm work easier for farmers. Examples include how animals would pull plows and their waste fertilized crops.
like horses, donkeys, and mules
How many species of animals have been domesticated? What animal traits determine those that have been successfully domesticated?
Around forty (40) species of animals have been domesticated.
The traits that determine the success of domestication are diet, size, growth rate, and temperate.
What is subsistence farming?
Subsistence farming is a self-sufficient method of agriculture that is on a smaller scale and uses low amounts of technology that also emphasizes food production for local use and not to trade.
What is shifting cultivation? How does “slash-and-burn” agriculture affect villagers?
Shifting cultivation is an agricultural practice that is based on clearing farm land and moving onto a new area while allowing the first area to fill with native plants.
natural vegetation will regrow
Villagers are affected by “slash-and-burn” agriculture because if there is an increase in population size, a new settlement may be needed to be made in another portion of the forest.
Describe the Second Agricultural Revolution. How did it affect manufacturing?
The Second Agricultural Revolution was a cluster of advancements in agricultural technology, breeding livestock, and seed production to increase food, livestock, and feed production
this happened in europe during the 1700s and 1800s
The Second Agricultural Revolution affected manufacturing by creating the seed drill and using manufactured goods to improve farming
What was the Columbian Exchange? How did it influence an “unequal exchange”?
The Columbian Exchange was the movement of animals, people, plants, ideas, and diseases among Africa, the Americas, and Europe across the Atlantic Sea.
also known as the “triangular trade network”
It influenced “unequal exchange” by allowing enslaved Africans to work farms and receive little to no income while those who processed the food received much more money in comparison
What were some of the “unwelcomed” results of European powers trying to “modernize” subsistence farming?
Some of the results were that societies from South America and Southeast Asia had communal land that was being parceled out to individuals for cash cropping
negative effects on people since that was their food source and now cash crops were being made (cash crops are not food)
Small landowners were also being squeezed out, simply allowing wealthier farms and commercial farming operations to take over
Describe the Third Agricultural Revolution. What was another name for this revolution?
The Third Agricultural Revolution, also known as the Green Revolution, was agriculture that used engineered seeds, irrigation, and fertilizers to increase agricultural practices and produce more crops (especially staple crops like wheat, corn, and rice)
Which countries have benefited from the Green Revolution? What products have been enhanced in these countries?
Mexico benefited from the Green Revolution by becoming self-sufficient in grain production
The Philippines benefitted from the Green Revolution by crossing a dwarf Chinese variety of rice with an Indonesian variant and creating IR8
The Green Revolution also brought “high-yield” variants of corn and wheat from the United States to South Asia and Southeast Asia
all had a new product they could sell for more money, benefitting their economy
What are the positives and negatives associated with the Green Revolution?
The positive outcomes of the Green Revolution is that it brought food to many undernourished people
Some of the negative outcomes of the Green Revolution include using higher inputs of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, reduced organic matter in soil and groundwater pollution, and affecting small-scale farmers who don’t have the resources to genetically enhance seeds and the chemicals to grow them
harming the environment (not very green lol)
Why are some environmentalists concerned about genetically engineered foods? How are subsistence farmers affected by (GE) genetically engineered crops?
Scientists are concerned about genetically engineered crops because there is not a lot of understanding about their health, environmental, or socioeconomic consequences
not studied very much
Subsistence farmers are affected by genetically engineered crops by not having as big of farms and not being able to produce large crops
cannot compete with them as their products are cheaper and more heavily produced
What agricultural developments in Gambia (Africa) changed the traditional use of land?
The transformation of suitable wetlands to irrigated agricultural land and allowed for year-round rice production is what changed the traditional use of land
rice wasn’t produced year round before
What percent of all women in the labor force work in agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia? How has the move from subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture affected these women?
Sixty percent of all women in the labor force work in agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia
When there was a move from subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture, there became an increase in dependance for female labor. This then took away the time for household maintenance and awarded it to the males
cannot look after children or take care of housework
What is the “cadastral system"?
The cadastral system is a method of land survey where land ownership and property lines are defined
satellites
Describe the rectangular survey system (township and range).
Township and range systems are a land survey system that divides Earth into squares (six miles by six miles) called townships, each that has thirty-six sections (one mile by one mile)
It is commonly found towards the west of the Appalachian Mountains
Each part is an equal distance from the center (which is where the urban area is)
makes getting resources fair
spanish method of dividing farmland
the midwest
Describe the metes and bounds survey system.
The metes and bounds survey system is a land survey system that relies on the descriptions of land ownership and natural features like trees or streams
These are commonly found on the eastern coast of the United States of America
meats ~ the growing area/village
bounds ~ the physical feature creating a barrier (not letting you go further)
Describe the long-lot survey system.
The long-lot survey system is a land surveying system that divides the Earth into narrow parcels stretching back from canals, rivers, or roads
These are commonly found in France or places that the french have settled (including Louisiana and Quebec)
What is primogeniture?
A primogeniture is land ownership inheritance practice where when the person who owns the land passes away, the land is passed down to the eldest son
Describe the von Thunen model?
The von Thunen model shows the cost of transporting goods to market
It shows that perishable and high-priced goods (like produce and milk) are produced closest to the city since it allows quick and frequent transportation
Things that are not perishable would be produced farther from the city (still holds true, partially)
What portion of the labor force in the United States is engaged in agriculture?
Less than two percent of the labor force in the United States is still engaged in agriculture
What are the main differences between a nucleated settlement and a dispersed settlement?
Nucleated settlements are clusters of houses. Many villages are nucleated so that land that is meant for farming can be used for farming instead of housing
close together! excess land used for agriculture
Dispersed settlements are houses that are spread far apart, the opposite of nucleated settlements
far apart!
How do round villages (rundlings), walled villages, and grid villages differ?
Round villages are in a circular shape, walled villages have a wall surrounding them
the crops/animals are on the inside of the wall while predators are on the outside; helps protect the crops/animals and keep the resources alive
didn’t work when you want to wall in a society/civilization and have produce on the outside (burn crops and no more food)
What role does a “house” play in determining social status? How is “functional differentiation” of buildings displayed in farm villages? How does a prosperous North American farm differ from other places in the world?
A house shows social status since it is representative of the owner’s wealth and standing in their community
shows how much power someone has
The functional differentiation of buildings is displayed in farm villages by giving different parts of the village different functions
What is commercial agriculture? What is monoculture?
Commercial agriculture is the production of crops for sale
production for trade
Monoculture is the dependance on the production of a single agricultural commodity
mono = one
What are the characteristics that produce a pattern of climates? What are climatic regions?
The characteristics that produce a pattern of climates include the absorption of the sun’s energy, movement of weather systems, the circulation of the oceans, and the jet stream
The climatic regions are equatorial climates (hot, very warm, generally humid), arid climates (true deserts, little to no precipitation), warm temperate climates (humid subtropical), snow climates (closer to the poles), and polar climates (tundra and ice cap climates)
polar → snow → warm temperate → arid → equatorial
What is livestock ranching? How has refrigeration impacted livestock ranching?
Livestock ranching is raising domesticated animals to produce meat and byproducts like wool and leather
they use livestock to get animal products
Refrigeration helped overcome perishability and lowered the cost unit of transporting animal products
save the product and allow it to transport to different places
What is plantation agriculture? What are the main crops produced in plantation agriculture?
Plantation agriculture is a production system based on a large estate owned by a corporation, family, or individual that was organized to produce a cash crop
privately owned (usually) and colonial times
The main crops produced were cash crops like tea, sugar, coffee, and many more
Which countries are most responsible for the production and trafficking of illegal drugs in the United States?
Countries most responsible for the production and trafficking are Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia
What are the most damaging environmental changes that have resulted from commercial agriculture?
The most damaging environmental changes would be pollution, land desertification, and a decrease in soil quality and organic matter that is found in the soil
this would prevent future growth of crops, preventing the future from eating
What is the “bid-rent theory”? What is the difference between intensive and extensive agricultural practices?
The bid-rent theory is where the price and demand for land will go up the closer the land is to the central city
the city is more expensive than the outside
Intensive agricultural practices are the production of agriculture using insecticides, fertilizers, and high-cost inputs to get the highest yields
anything other than land and labor
Extensive agricultural practices are the production of agriculture using low amounts of fertilizer and high amounts of human labor
only using land and labor
What is organic agriculture?
Organic agriculture is an approach to farming/ranching that does not use herbicides, growth hormones, pesticides, and similar chemicals
wealthy countries do it intensively (us)
poor countries doing it extensively (india)
What is ethanol? How is it produced?
Ethanol is a renewable fuel that is made from biomass
It is produced from plant materials (biomass)
also made from different crops (like soybeans and corn)
Define the term “agribusiness”.
Agribusiness is a business that provides a vast array of goods and services that allows the support of the agriculture industry
anything to do with agriculture
What are “luxury crops”? Name the main luxury crops produced worldwide.
a luxury crop is a want, not a need
the main luxury crop is coffee
What is the greatest threat now facing productive farmland? What is a “food desert”?
The greatest threat now facing productive farmland is food security
This includes the production and consumption overlap, the use of the agricultural land, and the fluctuating price factories that the producers must weigh
A food desert is where there is a lack of nutritious food is available
What is “urban agriculture”?
Urban agriculture is the cultivation of land or raising livestock in small areas in cities that are generally rooftops or converted brownfields
rooftops and brownfields are converted into gardens in cities where people grow their own crops
brownfields are taken from abandoned places or unused alleyways and converted to gardens
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How did the attitudes of Jared Diamond and Carl Sauer differ?
Jared Diamond believed that the low amount of food forced people to farm and become resourceful to grow their own food (Jared says they went there because there was too much competition for wild berries/crops so they will grow it for themselves)
Carl Sauer believed that an increased amount of food allowed for people to invest in animals (that are domesticated) and raise plants (Carl said it was so that people didn’t have to go out, people could do other stuff)
Do researchers agree that plant and animal domestication occurred independently? Explain.
They do not agree; they agree that it happened concurrently but they don’t agree on if they happened independently
How did colonization affect subsistence farming?
It allowed the Europeans to use force and treaties to gain land that was owned by subsistence farming communities
What are the two criteria needed to successfully sustain shifting cultivation?
The two criteria needed to successfully sustain shifting cultivation are…
abundance of land
relatively sparse population
How did Cyrus McCormick impact farm production?
Cyrus McCormick impacted farm production by designing a mechanical reaper that could bundle and cut grain
These reapers were pulled by horses and used around the world and decreased the need for human labor
What is the “triangular trade network”?
The “triangle trade network” was a trading system between the Americas, Europe, and Africa that helped to establish foundations of capitalism the world economy has now (So profitable slaves were brought in)
brought in african american slaves that were paid little to no money
How did colonial powers change land use and farm production?
Colonial powers had forced subsistence farmers to use some of their land to produce cotton that would be sold on the world market
Colonial powers had also promoted commercial farming by using irrigation systems, soil surveys, and lending agencies (agricultural to manufacturing/residential)
How did Donald Baker describe each of the agricultural revolutions?
He described the first as dependent on a change in human society, the second was dependent on innovations and improving technology, and the third as focused on genetically engineering seeds, using intense technology and irrigation, and expanding land use
(Human effort —> machines —> engineering seeds/land)
Give three major reasons why the Green Revolution (although successfully providing larger production) is considered a failure.
The Green Revolution was considered a failure because it led to soil and groundwater pollution, increased the inputs of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, and worked against many small scale farmers who could not grow genetically modified seeds
(Higher yield, better health, small farmers out of business, bad for health, and bad for environment)
Does von Thunen’s theory still hold true with respect to the connection between land use and transportation costs? Explain.
Somewhat, some perishable products still must be grown close to the city; however, because of electricity and transportation, perishable goods can be transported without getting harmed (still holds true)
Describe the relationship between social stratification and housing?
The size and quality of a house represents its owners’ standing in the community and wealth which also reflects their social stratification
(you can tell based on where someone lives how much money they have/influence)
What was the most important and primary function within the farm village?
The most important and primary function within the farm village was the storage of harvested crops and the protection of livestock (surplus and storage)
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What is meant by the term “cold chain”?
“Cold Chains” are when unripe produce is harvested and ripened by controlling temperatures in transport from where it is grown to where it is sold (moving before ripe)
How did the United Fruit Company illustrate a link between economic and political motivations.
The United Fruit Company illustrates a link between economic and political motivations by having close ties to powerful individuals in the American Government. When the United States wanted to overthrow the Guatemalan Government based on their land reform, most of the people who supported the overthrow were involved in the United Fruit Company and this overthrow would help the company.
(Dole bananas buy land, go to government to get preferential treatment by government to grow bananas, getting special treatment because they are influential)
In which climate zone do you find most of the wine vineyards? Why?
The Mediterranean climate is where most wine vineyards are because grapes are grown in this climate and grapes are the main ingredient for wine (California/Greece; need hot/cold and wet/dry)
What is the monetary impact of Marijuana production when grown indoors?
Marijuana that is grown indoors uses more electricity and is more expensive to produce than marijuana grown outdoors (uses billions in electricity)
How do “intensive” agricultural practices differ from “extensive” agricultural practices?
Intensive agricultural practices use high-cost inputs, fertilizers, and insecticides to produce more crops while extensive agricultural practices are high uses of human labor and a low use of pesticides
Which agricultural movement has benefited from health and taste advantages? Why?
The organic movement has benefitted from health and taste advantages since people are now preferring the taste of products that have not been grown with chemicals and are reflecting more on the substances put into their bodies
In what way do corn and soybeans affect fuel production?
Corn in the United States is converted to ethanol for fuel use and soybeans are where the most biodiesel is derived from in the United States
Coffee was once the most important luxury crop in the world. What is a luxury crop?
A luxury crop is a crop that can be bought and better in comparison to another of the same crop (You do not need for survival, a want)
What is the coffee “fair trade” campaign? How has it affected Starbucks?
The “fair trade” campaign is to raise the income of certified producers of coffee by lowering the amount of actors in the supply chain. The campaign pressured Starbucks into buying fair trade coffee and now it is the largest purchaser of fair trade coffee with twenty million pounds per year.
trying to help small businesses
Define “agribusiness”. How did it affect the poultry industry?
Agribusiness is a business that gives a wide variety of services and goods to support the agriculture industry. It affected the poultry industry by supplying chicks and feed to farmers to increase the amount of chickens they have. (Anything that supports agriculture)
What are the six factors that explain “world hunger” today? A list can be used for this question.
Poverty Traps
Lack of investment in agriculture infrastructure
Climate and Weather
War and displacement
Unstable markets
Food wastage
What is a “food desert”? Where are they most often found?
A desert is an area characterized by a lack of affordable, nutritious, and fresh foods. They are typically found in low-income neighborhoods where there is a lack of medium and large sized grocery stores.