For thousands of
years, people have farmed cultivated land, and domesticated animals to survive.
Although, the human species was not always capable of such a feat, and it was
not until 8500 BCE this manufacturing of resources began. For a long period, hunters
and gatherers were the only form of food production in the world. However, the
gradual change to farming occurred due to decline in availability of animals,
cultural attitudes, and increased population pressures. In the America’s, food
production began in 3500 BCE with the large food packages from the Fertile
Crescent and independent food production such as the potato, manioc, and corn
used in the Andes, and Mesoamerica. Over time, food production impacted the way
civilizations developed within the Americas including their societies, culture,
and attitudes.
The Andes, and
Mesoamerica in early America, were the first places civilization arose. Such
empires as the Inca’s, Aztec’s, and Mayans all had established societies in
these regions. In early America, hunters and gatherers were the dominant group.
As the number of wild game decreased it became necessary for these societies to
change their methods of food production. Also, as causality, the move to
farming was necessary to meet the needs of an increasing population throughout
all of the societies, that couldn’t be sustained on just hunting and foraging.
In early America, plants such as corn, beans, squash, potato, manioc, quinoa,
and lima bean were all domesticated. Also domesticated in early America were
the turkey and the dog, which provided food and working animals. The impacts of
these changes in food production were drastic. Societies with stable food
sources could create other jobs for people such as clergy, priests, artisans,
merchants, and so forth. Also, the stable food source allowed for government to
arise, and the beginning of urbanization and trade.
After 2500 BCE,
domestication of different species of plants and animals halted. This was due
to the fact that they were limited in the available large seed grasses,
domesticable animals, and that the locals began to master their local biology.
One of the major impacts of the period after 2500 BCE was the arrival of
suitable species such as the sweet potato from the Fertile Crescent. This accelerated
food production where suitable plants were previously lacking. War began to
plague this period internally. The Aztecs, Inca’s, and Mayans waged war on each
other for resources, and trade. Also, in this period, disease took its first
victims as it decimated large societies with such diseases as smallpox,
measles, flu, typhus, and the sort.
Around 1000 AD the
two hemispheres of the world collided. Europeans first landed in the Americas
in 1000 AD by the Norse peoples. During this period advances in trading, farm
production, and resource management were key, although, Europe caused problems
that were irreversible. Francis Pizzaro attacked the Inca Empire in the 16th
century annihilating most of the people. Also Cortez from Spain seriously
damaged the Aztec society that had taken a firm hold in Mesoamerica. Food
production during this period continued on the same path that had been created
three thousand years before. Farming was the main source of all agriculture,
while trade played important roles for economics in society as well. Only
advances in technology advanced food production seriously.
Over the centuries,
America changed a great deal from starting as all hunter and gatherer bands to
becoming the huge states, and the kleptocratic societies such as the Aztecs.
Food production was continuous after its initial change to farming during 3500
BCE. Government, religion, and many other cultural properties became possible
because of advances during that time period in early America.
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