![]() As early civilizations began to take shape, political and religious leaders rose up to rule them, creating classes of “haves” and “have-nots.” Whereas hunter-gatherer societies generally viewed resources as belonging to everyone, agriculture led to a system of ownership over land, food, and currency that was not (and is still not) equitably distributed among the people. Those who didn’t need to be farmers took on roles as soldiers, priests, administrators, artists, and scholars. 1Īgriculture produced enough food that people became free to pursue interests other than worrying about what they were going to eat that day. Small settlements grew into towns, and towns grew into cities. 5 More abundant food supplies could support denser populations, and farming tied people to their land. 14įor better or for worse, agriculture was a driving force behind the growth of civilizations.įarming probably involved more work than hunting and gathering, but it is thought to have provided 10 to 100 times more calories per acre. The loss of fertile topsoil has played a role in the decline of numerous civilizations. Although it brought tremendous gains in short-term productivity, it has also been a major contributor to soil erosion. The plow is believed to have been used as early as 4,000 years ago in ancient Egypt. Grave chamber of an Egyptian public official, circa 1250 BCE.
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