Neolithic Revolution

the agricultural revolution = the invention of farming

Before Agricultural Revolution

• Small scale societies

• tribal and nomadic

• hunter-gatherer

  “If dinner moves, you move with dinner”

• More dependent on nature, fertility rates are lower, low food security

• societies are egalitarian (people are equal)

more equality in gender roles

After Agricultural Revolution

• Invention of farming

  • Settlements (urbanization)

    • villages

    • cities (root meaning of civilization)

• Increased population growth

• mass production

• specialized skills

• pottery

• cereal class

  • wheat

  • barley

    • mass baking bread

    • mass brewing beer

• stratification (hierarchical societies)

  • gender roles change

• Large scale conflict

• The invention of writing

  • the career - scribe

  • Invented writing to keep track of inventory

    • “what is in this pot and who is responsible for it”

• Long distance trade