Neolithic Revolution ~ Bronze Age
by Juegan Lingam
1. Agriculture
1.1. Agriculture would begin in many parts of the world around 10,000 BCE
1.2. Wheat and Barley would be cultivated starting from around 8,000 BCE. This would spread to the Balkans(6500 BCE), Nile Valley(6000BCE), North Africa(5500BCE) and Europe(4000BCE).
1.3. Central African would grow plaintains, bananas and yams. Meanwhile North and South America would learn agriculture on their own.
1.4. India would grow barley and millet by 7000BCE while China would grow the latter around 6000BCE.
2. Increased Social Organization
2.1. After the development of agriculture early humans would give up nomadic life and this would cause more elaborate social organizations.
2.2. They would also built permanent sites of worship such as the stonehenge and would develop more religious practices.
2.3. The increased social sophistication in the Neolithic led to the emergence of the city.
2.3.1. Cities would help create the specialization of trade. They would also offer: - protection for large numbers of people - points of trade - the exchange of ideas, information, beliefs and values.
2.4. The first cities date back to the 8000~7000BCE including Jericho on the west bank of the Jordan River, Catal Hayuk in Turkey and Danpo in China.
3. Pastoralism
3.1. Pastoralism is the domestication of animals such as dogs, horses, water buffalo, oxen llamas, sheep, pigs and poultry.
3.2. Dogs in the early Stone Age provided companionship, security and helped with hunting.
3.3. Goats were provided meat and milk and were often domesticated with these ideas firmly in mind.
3.4. Pastoral groups that domesticate animals become herding societies
4. Metallurgy
4.1. Throughout the Neolithic Revolution humans would refine technology from the Paleolithic Age and create new tools.
4.1.1. New tools such as: the plow, needles, baskets, hoes, shovels, chisels and saws.
4.2. People in the Middle East would invent the wheel, while pottery would emerge. The plow would also allow for more land to be cultivated which increased more labor. This would lead to a surplus of food and an increase in a population.
4.3. Metallurgy would first begin in the Middle East and China between 4000~3000 BCE. These regions would realize that mixing copper and tin created a bronze.
4.4. Writing is associated with the emergence of civilizations. It enables them to pass on their traditions more efficiently.
4.4.1. - Sumerians in the Middle East (3500~3000BCE) - Egyptians (3000BCE) - Indus River Valley (2200BCE)