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The Establishment Of Any Civilization Relies On The Foundation Of Agriculture

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The establishment of any civilization relies on the foundation of agriculture. Agriculture requires knowledge, tools, and resources to maintain a population and allow for it to grow. Agriculture drastically changed once humans were able to utilize the resources around them in order to provide a reliable food supply, allow them to settle down in one place, and most importantly, provide a springboard for global population growth. Agriculture was triggered by many factors, some including climate change, population pressure, and social competition. Farming had become more productive than foraging. China is a one of the earliest societies that developed a system of agriculture that was able to sustain a large population. China used …show more content…

Using data provided by Robert Marks, the Chinese had a net productivity of 9.75 quintals per hectare while the slash and burn system only had a net productivity of 2 quintals per hectare. The reason the Chinese were more productive was because they were able to use all the land year round. The fertile soil of South and North China and high adaptable crops that were able to sustain themselves allowed this to happen. The Chinese supported a population density of around 385 people per square kilometer. Technological advancements that took place during the Bronze Age also played a major reason in how China was able to support their agricultural system. Technology was a way for humans to interact with and transform the environment as they sought to use energy to sustain themselves. Bronze, copper, and tin were abundant metals in China. The use of bronze to create new tools for agricultural use allowed for the Chinese to keep up their way of life. Since the Chinese were able to use all the land all the time, they had a surplus of goods. Therefore, people were able to specialize in other forms of labor. The Chinese states having large supplies of workers helped them develop a large-scale bronze industry ( Marks 41). More productive farming methods led to “extensive commercialization, and by the widespread use of money and written contracts” allowed for the population to grow even larger ( Elvin 7). The Chinese knowledge on how to replenish nutrients back

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