Agricultural Hearths, in this blog post, you will learn about the concept of the regions where agriculture originated and diffused, and the factors that influenced the development of agriculture.
How did humans start growing crops and raising animals for food? What are the places where agriculture first began and spread from?
What Are Agricultural Hearths?
An agricultural hearth is a term used to describe the region where a crop or an animal was first domesticated and cultivated by humans.
Domestication is the process of adapting wild plants and animals for human use. Cultivation is the practice of planting, tending, and harvesting crops. Whereas, Agriculture is the science and art of producing food and other products from plants and animals.
Moreover, Agricultural Hearths are important and they reveal the origins of food production and consumption, along with cultural and environmental factors shaping human history
Agriculture enabled humans to settle in permanent villages, develop civilizations, and create complex societies. Whereas, Agriculture shaped the patterns of population, migration, trade, and the diffusion of ideas and innovations.
Where Are The Major Agricultural Hearths?
There are five major agricultural hearths in the world, each with its own unique crops and animals.
| Major Agricultural Hearths | Description |
|---|---|
| Southwest Asia | This region, also known as the Fertile Crescent, is considered the cradle of civilization. It is where wheat, barley, rye, oats, lentils, peas, flax, and dates were first domesticated. It is also where sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, and horses were first raised for food and transportation. |
| East Asia | This region, which includes China, Korea, and Japan, is where rice, millet, soybeans, and tea were first cultivated. It is also where chickens, ducks, and pigs were first domesticated. |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | This region, which covers most of the African continent south of the Sahara desert, is where sorghum, millet, yams, coffee, and okra were first grown. It is also where cattle, donkeys, and camels were first domesticated. |
| Mesoamerica | This region, which spans from central Mexico to northern Central America, is where corn, beans, squash, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, cocoa, and vanilla were first cultivated. It is also where turkeys, dogs, and guinea pigs were first domesticated. |
| South America | This region, which includes the Andes mountains and the Amazon basin, is where quinoa, cassava, peanuts, pineapple, cotton, and tobacco were first grown. It is also where llamas, alpacas, and guinea pigs were first domesticated. |
What Factors Influenced The Development Of Agriculture?
The development of agriculture was not a sudden or uniform process. It occurred independently and gradually in different regions, depending on various factors. Because some of the main factors that influenced the development of agriculture are:
Environmental Conditions:
Land, water, soil, climate, and biodiversity shaped crop and animal domestication, influencing their types and varieties.
Southwest Asia had fertile river valleys and grasslands that supported the growth of grains and the grazing of livestock. Whereas, East Asia had warm and humid climates that favored the cultivation of rice and tea.
Moreover, Sub-Saharan Africa had diverse ecosystems that allowed the adaptation of crops and animals to different environments.
Mesoamerica had highlands and lowlands that provided different micro climates and resources for agriculture. Whereas, South America had mountains and rainforests that offered a rich diversity of plants and animals for domestication and cultivation.
Cultural Practices:
The beliefs, values, traditions, and preferences of different groups of people influenced the choices and methods of agriculture. Whereas, Southwest Asia had religions that promoted the consumption of bread and wine, which encouraged the cultivation of wheat and grapes.
East Asia had cultures that valued harmony and balance, which led to the development of irrigation and terracing techniques for agriculture. Sub-Saharan Africa had societies that practiced shifting cultivation, which involved moving from one plot of land to another after exhausting its fertility.
Mesoamerica had civilizations that worshiped the sun and the maize god, which motivated the production and consumption of corn. Moreover, South America had cultures that used coca leaves and tobacco for religious and medicinal purposes, which stimulated the cultivation of these crops.
Technological Innovations:
The inventions and discoveries of tools, techniques, and knowledge that improved the efficiency and productivity of agriculture.
Southwest Asia pioneered innovations like the plow, wheel, sickle, and writing, revolutionizing crop and animal cultivation and management. Whereas, East Asia pioneered innovations like the seed drill, iron plow, compass, and paper, enhancing agriculture, navigation, and trade communication.
Sub-Saharan Africa boasted innovations like the hoe, ax, iron smelting, and drum, crucial for land cultivation and food processing. Moreover, Mesoamerica innovated with chinampas, calendars, zero, and hieroglyphs, fostering artificial islands, time measurement, and data recording.
South America innovated with quipu, road systems, freeze drying, and pottery advancing information storage, transmission, and food preservation and transportation.
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