The Neolithic Age

Introduction: The emergence of agriculture was a major stepping stone in human history. During this birth of agriculture, also known as the Neolithic revolution, humans began inhabiting permanent settlements, grow their own crops, and domesticate both plants and animals for food (Weisdorf, 2005). Considering humans have been hunter-gatherers for majority of their approximately 7 million years of existence, the emergence of agriculture in the Old World only occurring 10,000-5,000 years ago, marks a significant transformation in food sustenance techniques (Weisdorf, 2005). However, this turning point in history is associated with both positive and negative implications.

In the beginning, the first milestone that was made by human beings were the Agricultural Revolutions that occurred several different times. Food gathering eventually changed into food production throughout hundreds of generations. This process may have begun through semicultivation that could have made it possible to gather food without the need for permanent settlement. Other families who dedicated their time and energy to the production of food had to settle close to their fields. This helped produce a more predictable and filling supply of food that stimulated population growth. Biologically, this new food production put early farmers in a lot of physical stress. Excavations show that farming actually deformed bones, especially in the foot, knees, and lower spines from being in a kneeling position over a long period of time. This changeover from hunting and gathering to food production is called Neolithic revolution, which means “new stone revolution”. The name of this

The Paleolithic Era, translating to “old stone age,” references a time period over 2,600,000 to 12,000 years ago, in which man developed new skills for survival through the use of stone. The Neolithic Era, the “new stone age,” began around 10,000 BCE, introducing a more complex society where agriculture was a primary factor in everyday life. From the Paleolithic Era to Neolithic Era, there were many continuities that occurred. One continuity was the use of weapons and tools. For instance, in both eras, stone was used to make weapons for protection, food, etc. Although, in the Neolithic Age tools were more advanced and developed, they progressed based off of Paleolithic inventions, like the tools from both ages had spear tips, but different methods were used to come about their creations. In addition, while there were many continuities, the Neolithic man did not always agree with their ancestors choices. In fact, there were many changes that occurred from the two time periods. One drastic change the Neolithic man dealt with was choosing to live in permanent settlements rather than following with the Paleolithic way, living nomadic. For instance, the Paleolithic men were hunters and gatherers, indicating that they had to adapt to the natural environment of their location by studying the seasonal migrations of animals, the life cycles of plants, and many more elements. On the other hand, the Neolithic man lived in a time of general warming, increased rainfall, and a stable

All throughout history, humans have come up with innovations that have brought both positive and negative changes to the way people live. This all started around 10,000 BCE, when people developed agriculture. The first nomads started off by moving from place to place, hunting and gathering food… but as people developed agriculture, they saved a lot more time. After agriculture developed, the humans learned many things such as farming and taming wild animals for their own use. This time in history was called the Neolithic Revolution… which lasted about 6,000 years, until 4,000 BCE. The big change in the way people got their food and how they lived, resulted to positive and negative changes of human innovations of the Neolithic Revolution. So,

The start of agriculture during the Neolithic Revolution led directly to the beginning of civilization. The Neolithic Revolution, which happened 10,000 years ago, was the shift from hunter-gathers to a food-producing culture meaning humans started to farm and domesticate animals. This was the catalyst to help create civilizations. We know now how to distinguish groups of humans from actual civilization if those groups have certain characteristics. Those characteristics are complex institutions, record keeping, advanced cities, specialized workers, and advanced technology. A result of the Neolithic Revolution is that more people were able to thrive since there was a surplus of food. These early civilizations were able to take advantage of the rivers and create irrigation systems to water their crops.

     The Neolithic Period extended from 10,000 B.C to 3,000 BC. It is also called the New Stone Age, and many new advances and changes took place in this time. Unlike the nomadic life of the Old Stone Age, the New Stone Age was the dawning of settled life. People lived more towards lakes and rivers instead of caves, and tree trunks. This led to the change of the jobs of the society.

Political, economic, and social conditions have often led to turning points that have changed the course of history for nations and people. The Paleolithic Era and Neolithic Revolution was a turning point that changed the orbit of history for mankind. In Documents 1, 2, and 4, they explain life before the Neolithic Revolution and what changed during the period and provide an analysis of results of the revolution. They introduce food supply and settlement, and civilization and trade.

The Neolithic Era lasted from about 9,000-3,000 BCE. We are not exactly sure of when it started but this is the best estimate. The Neolithic Era was a period of human history when the start of agriculture arose and came before the first civilizations. The Neolithic Revolution took place in many different regions of the world. They where not that advanced so they made tools out of wood, stone and bone.

The Paleolithic era began about 2.6 million years ago; this was considered the Old Age. The Neolithic era began about 10,000 BC where it was named the New Age. There were several differences that existed between the men who lived in these two ages. The Paleolithic man consisted of nomads who hunted and gathered their food to survive. Their hunting tools consisted of chipped and dull stones and wooden weapons. Their shelter consisted of huts and skin tents, and they were characterized as a tribal society. On the other hand, the Neolithic men were characterized by farmers who resided in permanent settlements, as opposed to wandering around. Their shelter was made up of bricks supported by timber, which seems to be a lot more durable

The Paleolithic Age was the age of stone. It occurred 2.6 billion years ago. During this age humans lived in small groups of about ten to twelve members plus children (Ltd, 2016). During this age humans were also hunters and gatherers. Women searched for nuts, berries, and other plants while the men did all the hunting. Only small proportions of food were found due to the environment and lifestyle of the early peoples. There were often scarce amounts of food to feed their small families. The hunters and gatherers were considered nomads because they constantly moved from place to place in search of food. The animals that the nomads would hunt for would also move location in search of

The Neolithic Revolution started in Mesopotamia, which is located in the river valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates in 12,000 to 8,000 B.C.E. due to the creation of agriculture leading certain societies to urban settlements and civilizations.

According to the article, Jared Diamond refutes the view that the human race is better placed because communities embraced agriculture about 10,000 years ago. Accordingly, in ‘The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race’, Diamond explains his point of view by showing that archaeological findings have proven that civilization was worsened after the Neolithic Revolution as it gave rise to inequality and people became less healthy. By using the account of Bushmen and the Hadza nomads from Tanzania, Diamond argues that the lives of primitive people improved with the adoption of farming instead of gathering, but goes ahead to challenge this assumption.

The first scholars that existed named the whole period of human devolvement the “Stone Age.” The stone age is divided into three periods which are Paleolithic which means the old Greek age, Mesolithic and Neolithic which is the new Greek age. The Paleolithic and Neolithic stone ages have many great differences and has changed greatly between the two periods.

Although weapons have had major effect in society in the past and the present, I think that tools were more important in creating communities that led to civilization. Since the Paleolithic Age, humans used tools for hunting and obtaining their food source. They also used a variety of other tools, such as: stone tools for cleaning animal hides, spears for catching fish, and needles for sewing clothes. Tools could also have been used to make art. Tools also had an important impact in the Neolithic Revolution. Humans used stone axes to clear trees for farming, which had an important effect in the transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to an agricultural way of life. Additionally, tools helped communities advance into civilization because

During the Neolithic Revolution both the environment and human life changed for the better. Around 10,000 B.C.E the last Ice Age occurred and brought fertile soil and green forests which attracted both humans and animals. The animals that stayed around the humans were domesticated and bred with another animal along with the plants. Thanks to the Neolithic Revolution people shifted from hunting and gathering to farming which provided humans with a surplus of food and a permanent area to live in. Overall, the Neolithic Revolution had a positive impact on the environment and the quality of life of humans because of the domestication of animals,the introduction to new and different labor specializations, and lastly because of the improvement in shelter quality.