Agriculture Origins
Subsistence Agriculture
Commercial Agriculture
The Green Revolution
Types of Agriculture
100
What are the origins of farming?
Evidence of population boom
points to new food source
100
What is subsistence agriculture and how do you characterize it?
Production of food sources
for one’s own consumption
1. Characterized by…
i) low-level technology
ii) Extreme climate
iii) Small groups, large areas
100
During European Transformation, define the commons and its impact on land owners...
The Commons: Communal
lands either publicly shared
or owned by a lord & worked
by commoners
a) Small farm = small output
100
What are the benefits of Tractors and Trucks...
Tractors & Trucks –
Increase productivity &
access to larger markets
100
What is livestock ranching and free grazing and what was the significance of meat processing within the commercial agriculture industry?
Livestock Ranching
i) Ranching – Commercial
grazing of livestock over a
large area (usually grassy)
a) Free Grazing – Grazing
& herding on public/un-claimed land –
“The West”
Meat Processing – Moves
slaughter & packaging of meat
further away from cities
200
What Are Environmental Causes of Farming?
Period of warming scatters
animal food sources &
allows certain plants to
grow seasonally
200
Define Pastoral Nomadism and examples of what it contains ..
Pastoral Nomadism
–Herding domesticated animals
i) Mostly hot, dry climate
ii) Goats, camels, sheep
iii) Herders migrate seasonally
to pastures – grazing areas
200
Define the Enclosure Act During the European Transformation...
The Enclosure Acts: Rich
lords/landowners in GB claim
legal ownership of commons
& kick peasants off the land
a) Larger farms better
maximize space & output
200
What does Genetic Engineering enable?
Genetic Engineering -
Enables creation of
high-yield, durable
super-seeds
ex) India – 1960s
200
What were railroads importance amongst commercial agriculture?
Railroads – Vital to the
delivery of meat to cities from
less developed areas
300
What is one of the cultural causes of farming?
Humans learn to adapt to
food shortages w/ storage,
stumble upon planting
300
Define Shifting Cultivation and provide methods that fit this criteria...
3. Shifting Cultivation –Small
farming in dense tropical areas
i) Slash & Burn: Farmers
slash natural vegetation &
burn remaining debris
ii) Fields are planted for a
few years and then left to
fallow – regain natural soil
iii) Land is communally
owned & rotation of fields
is determined by leaders
iv) Crops vary regionally
300
Define innovation during the European transformation and list at least 2 innovative methods created during this time...
Innovation - Technology
& new methods introduced
to larger farms allows
massive increases in output
a) Four-year crop rotation
b) Seed drill, reaper, etc.
300
What are the benefits of Fertilizer and Pesticides?
Fertilizers /Pesticides
Dramatically improve yields
a) Isolation of livestock &
crops rapidly increased
300
Describe in depth plantation agriculture and its impact on developing nations...
i) Plantation: Large-scale
farming operation focused on
production of a single cash
crop for international trade
a) Land typically owned
by absentee landlord
ii) Tropical Climates
iii) Controversy: Developing
nations often forced to choose
b/w profit & food production
as path to development
a) Imperialism
400
Elaborate on the origin of "herding" and with what animals...(include key terms)
Fossil evidence of animals
living alongside humans
Dogs - 10,000 BC: Wolves
who live off of scraps by
humans eventually become
domesticated over time.
Grazing: As humans learn
to farm, crops are used to
attract & then control animal
food sources
3. Horses – 4,000 BC: Tamed
in Central Asia (we think)
400
What does " Wet Rice Cultivation" mean, and what does it require?
Wet Rice Cultivation – Most
common type of farming
i) Labor Intensive: Rice
requires a lot of work
a) Big families, small farms
b) Community organization
needed to maximize output
400
Define and clarify the significance of "specialization" and "cash crop" during the European transformation...
Specialization: No longer
concerned w/ food scarcity;
landowners eventually shift
focus to profit by committing
to a single cash crop
Cash Crop- a crop produced for its commercial value rather than for use by the grower
400
Describe/ draw the "Von Thunen Model"...
400
Define the important vocabulary within the dairy farming process, the impact of dairy farming on society, as well as providing examples...
i) Milkshed – Area outside of
a city from which milk can be
transported w/o spoiling
a) Refrigeration expands
areas significantly
ii) Dairy Processing: Cheese,
butter, yogurt, etc. – further
away due to ability to keep
a) Wisconsin
iii) Wholesalers – Function
as “middle men” b/w farmers,
bottlers & stores
500
What is irrigation within wet rice farming and why is it important to the success of the fields? List a solution created from irrigation..
Irrigation: Manipulation
of water supply; needed to
ensure that fields submerged
a) Terracing – Flat fields
built into hills to trap water
500
Define and differentiate between the premodern cycle and the modern cycle...
Premodern- Strong family and community lead to weak state and market which lead to weak individuals which lead to strong family and community
Modern- Weak family and community lead to strong state and market which lead to string individuals which lead to Weak family and community
500
Define/describe seafood production within commercial agriculture, two different fishing methods, impact of fishing, and important vocabulary with in the process...
Seafood Production
i) Fishing: Both fresh &
salt-water catching, rapidly
on the rise over the last 50
years
a) Overfishing: Depletion
of natural population,
threatening extinction
ii) Aquaculture: Cultivation
of seafood (plant & animal)
under controlled conditions
a) Subsistence – on the
rise in developing areas
b) Commercial - Debated