Agriculture Revolution

8000 – 7000 BC

Unable to spread by itself

Wheat needed man
Mankind needed wheat
Agricultural technologies
Planted by hand
Sticks for plows
Flint sickle to harvest
Wheat grinding stone

Effects of Agriculture
Change in way of life
Stopped being nomadic
Domesticated animals and plants
Dependable food sources
Permanent settlements
Life expectancy increased

2500 BC to 500 AD
Little change in agriculture
Still subsistence farming
A few technologies
Metal tools
Irrigation in flood plains
China, Egypt, Near East
Fertilizer
Manure and fodder

Plows and Animal Power

Plow enabled farmers to grow more food
Ability to farm larger acreage
Provided dependable surplus
Gave freedom to pursue other occupations
Cities grew
Civilization expanded
Population increased
500 AD to 1600 AD
still much worldwide subsistence farming
Egyptians utilized more land with irrigation
Yields large enough to export
Europeans implemented crop rotation
Autumn – wheat or rye
Spring – oat, bean and pea
Fallow
Improved production 50%

1600 to Present
Many technical advances in agricultural production
Cities grew much larger
Rural populations decreased
Sanitation increased life expectancy

Technological Advances
 Metal added to wooden plow mid 1600’s
 Jethro Tull’s seed drill early 1700’s
 Use of limestone late 1700’s
 Cast-iron moldboard plow 1797
 John Deere’s steel plow 1830’s
 Cyrus McCormick’s reaper 1831
 Steam power replaced horse power in late 1800’s

Literature:
The Cartoon Guide to the Environment by Larry Gonick 9780062732743
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

Vocabulary: fallow, plow, rotation, population, drainage, gradual, revolution,

agriculture, automation, sickle, reaper

Web Site:
1. General lesson Plan -
http://inventors.about.com/od/indrevolution/a/AgriculturalRev.htm
2. Agricultural Revolution Lesson Plan -
http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/Lessons/2034.htm
3.

Powerpoints –
1. www.schoolhistory.co.uk
2.