AP Human GeographyAP Human Geography

Origins and Diffusion of Agriculture

Spring 2015

Origins and Diffusion of Agriculture

Spring 2015

What is agriculture?What is agriculture?

Agriculture is “a science, art, and a business directed at the

cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock for sustenance and

profit.”

Agriculture is “a science, art, and a business directed at the

cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock for sustenance and

profit.”

Categories of economic activities

Categories of economic activities

Primary activities- harvest or extract something from the earth, e.g., agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining, hunting & gathering

Secondary activities- add value to materials by changing their form or combining them into more useful products, e.g., manufacturing

Primary activities- harvest or extract something from the earth, e.g., agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining, hunting & gathering

Secondary activities- add value to materials by changing their form or combining them into more useful products, e.g., manufacturing

Economic activitiesEconomic activities

Tertiary activities- involve the provision of services, e.g., financial, business, professional, clerical, personal,etc.

Quaternary activities- services rendered by “white collar” professional working in govt, education, management, information processing, and research

Quinary activities- executive decision makers in large public or private organizations

Tertiary activities- involve the provision of services, e.g., financial, business, professional, clerical, personal,etc.

Quaternary activities- services rendered by “white collar” professional working in govt, education, management, information processing, and research

Quinary activities- executive decision makers in large public or private organizations

Origins of AgricultureOrigins of Agriculture

Began with the domestication of plants and animals

Hunting and gathering (including fishing) became important means by which humans obtained foods prior to the invention of agriculture

Today, less than .005 percent of the world’s population still survive from hunting and gathering

Began with the domestication of plants and animals

Hunting and gathering (including fishing) became important means by which humans obtained foods prior to the invention of agriculture

Today, less than .005 percent of the world’s population still survive from hunting and gathering

Types of CultivationTypes of Cultivation

According to geographer Carl Sauer, the earliest form of plant cultivation was vegetative planting, in which new plants are produced by direct cloning from existing plants

Seed agriculture, or the production of plants through annual planting of seeds came later

According to geographer Carl Sauer, the earliest form of plant cultivation was vegetative planting, in which new plants are produced by direct cloning from existing plants

Seed agriculture, or the production of plants through annual planting of seeds came later

Origin of vegetative planting

Origin of vegetative planting

Sauer believed that vegetative planting probably originated in Southeast Asia

First plants domesticated in Southeast Asia included roots such as taro, yams, and tree crops such as banana and palm

Diffused from S.E. Asian hearth northward and eastward to China and Japan, and westward through India, Southwest Asia, tropical Africa and areas around the Mediterranean Sea

Other early hearths = West Africa and northwestern South America

Sauer believed that vegetative planting probably originated in Southeast Asia

First plants domesticated in Southeast Asia included roots such as taro, yams, and tree crops such as banana and palm

Diffused from S.E. Asian hearth northward and eastward to China and Japan, and westward through India, Southwest Asia, tropical Africa and areas around the Mediterranean Sea

Other early hearths = West Africa and northwestern South America

Vegetative HearthVegetative Hearth

Origin and Diffusion of Seed Agriculture

Origin and Diffusion of Seed Agriculture

Carl Sauer identified three hearths:1. Western India2. Northern China3. Ethiopia

Two independent hearths:• Southern Mexico • Northern Peru

Carl Sauer identified three hearths:1. Western India2. Northern China3. Ethiopia

Two independent hearths:• Southern Mexico • Northern Peru

Seed AgricultureSeed Agriculture

Innovations that increased the chances of success for

seed agriculture

Innovations that increased the chances of success for

seed agricultureIrrigation (the channeling of water to

fields)Plowing to loosen and turn the soilFencing to keep animals out of the fieldsBuilding terraces to provide level field on

hill sidesFertilizing with plant and animal wastesweeding

Irrigation (the channeling of water to fields)

Plowing to loosen and turn the soilFencing to keep animals out of the fieldsBuilding terraces to provide level field on

hill sidesFertilizing with plant and animal wastesweeding

First Agricultural Revolution or the Neolithic

Revolution

First Agricultural Revolution or the Neolithic

Revolutionoccurred when humans began to settle in communities (8000 B.C.E) and moved away from hunting and gathering

Happened in many places at different timesBegan with the development of seed

agriculture and the use of the plow and draft animals

Began with the domestication of plants and animals

Led to the emergence of agricultural hearths from which farming practices diffused

occurred when humans began to settle in communities (8000 B.C.E) and moved away from hunting and gathering

Happened in many places at different timesBegan with the development of seed

agriculture and the use of the plow and draft animals

Began with the domestication of plants and animals

Led to the emergence of agricultural hearths from which farming practices diffused

Changes that resulted from the 1st Agricultural

Revolution

Changes that resulted from the 1st Agricultural

RevolutionIncrease in reliable food suppliesRapid increase in total human

populationJob specializationWidening of gender differencesDevelopment of distinction

between settled people and nomads

Increase in reliable food suppliesRapid increase in total human

populationJob specializationWidening of gender differencesDevelopment of distinction

between settled people and nomads

Second Agricultural Revolution

Second Agricultural Revolution

Probably began in Western Europe in the 1600s

Preceded the Industrial RevolutionLed to the Enclosure Movement

(beginning of scientific agriculture)Use of crop rotationDramatic improvements in outputs, such

as crop and livestock yieldsInvention of the seed drill (Jethro Tull)New inputs, e.g., fertilizers & drainage

system

Probably began in Western Europe in the 1600s

Preceded the Industrial RevolutionLed to the Enclosure Movement

(beginning of scientific agriculture)Use of crop rotationDramatic improvements in outputs, such

as crop and livestock yieldsInvention of the seed drill (Jethro Tull)New inputs, e.g., fertilizers & drainage

system

The Third Agricultural Revolution

The Third Agricultural Revolution

Began in late 19th century and gained momentum throughout 20th century

The Green Revolution is said to have begun during the Third Agricultural Revolution

Began in late 19th century and gained momentum throughout 20th century

The Green Revolution is said to have begun during the Third Agricultural Revolution

3 phases of the 3rd argic. Rev.

3 phases of the 3rd argic. Rev.Mechanization: the replacement of

human farm labor with machinesChemical farming: the application of

synthetic fertilizers to the soil- and herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides to crops

Food manufacturing: involves adding econ. Value to agric. Products thru processing, canning, packaging, refining, etc.

Mechanization: the replacement of human farm labor with machines

Chemical farming: the application of synthetic fertilizers to the soil- and herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides to crops

Food manufacturing: involves adding econ. Value to agric. Products thru processing, canning, packaging, refining, etc.

Subsistence vs.. Commercial agriculture

Subsistence vs.. Commercial agriculture

Purpose of farmingPercentage of farmers in the labor

forceUse of machineryFarm sizeRelationship of farming to other

businesses

Purpose of farmingPercentage of farmers in the labor

forceUse of machineryFarm sizeRelationship of farming to other

businesses

Subsistence Agriculture Regions

Subsistence Agriculture Regions

Shifting cultivation- South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia

Pastoral nomadism- the dry lands of North Africa and Asia

Intensive subsistence, wet rice dominant- East and South Asia

Intensive subsistence, crops other than rice dominant- East and South Asia

Shifting cultivation- South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia

Pastoral nomadism- the dry lands of North Africa and Asia

Intensive subsistence, wet rice dominant- East and South Asia

Intensive subsistence, crops other than rice dominant- East and South Asia

Rice PaddiesRice Paddies

Commercial Agriculture Regions

Commercial Agriculture Regions

Mixed crop and livestock- U.S. Midwest and central Europe

Dairying- northeastern U.S., southeastern Canada, and northwestern Europe

Grain- north-central United States and Eastern Europe

Ranching- dry land of western U.S., southeastern South America, Central Asia, southern Africa, and Australia

Mediterranean - lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, western U.S., Chile, South Africa & Australia

Mixed crop and livestock- U.S. Midwest and central Europe

Dairying- northeastern U.S., southeastern Canada, and northwestern Europe

Grain- north-central United States and Eastern Europe

Ranching- dry land of western U.S., southeastern South America, Central Asia, southern Africa, and Australia

Mediterranean - lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, western U.S., Chile, South Africa & Australia

Commercial Agriculture Regions

Commercial Agriculture Regions

Commercial gardening- southeastern United States and southeastern Australia

Plantation- tropical and subtropical areas of Latin America, Africa, and Asia

Commercial gardening- southeastern United States and southeastern Australia

Plantation- tropical and subtropical areas of Latin America, Africa, and Asia

Characteristics of Shifting Cultivation

Characteristics of Shifting Cultivation

Slash-and-burnCrops grown on a cleared field for

few years and field left to fallowThe cleared field is known as

swidden, landang, milpa, chena, and kaingin

Slash-and-burnCrops grown on a cleared field for

few years and field left to fallowThe cleared field is known as

swidden, landang, milpa, chena, and kaingin

Shifting CultivationShifting Cultivation

Shifting CultivationShifting Cultivation

Shifting CultivationShifting Cultivation

CropsCrops

Depends on local custom and tasteBut may include upland rice in

Southeast Asia; maize (corn) and manioc (cassava) in South America; and millet and sorghum in Africa

Others- yams, sugarcane, plantain, etc.

Depends on local custom and tasteBut may include upland rice in

Southeast Asia; maize (corn) and manioc (cassava) in South America; and millet and sorghum in Africa

Others- yams, sugarcane, plantain, etc.