Maatalousvallankumous

Maatalousvallankumous, or agricultural revolution, refers to a significant transformation in agricultural practices and technologies that occurred during the Neolithic period, approximately 10,000 years ago. This period marked the shift from nomadic hunting and gathering to settled farming communities. The agricultural revolution is often credited with the development of civilization as we know it today.

The transition to agriculture allowed humans to produce a more stable food supply, which in turn supported larger populations. This surplus food enabled the development of specialized labor, leading to the emergence of complex societies, cities, and eventually, civilizations. Key innovations during this period included the domestication of plants and animals, the development of irrigation systems, and the use of new tools and techniques for cultivation.

The agricultural revolution is often divided into two main phases. The first phase, known as the Neolithic Revolution, began around 10,000 BCE in the Fertile Crescent, a region in the Middle East that includes modern-day Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Jordan. This phase saw the domestication of wheat, barley, and other grains, as well as the taming of animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats.

The second phase, the Bronze Age, around 3,000 BCE, brought further advancements with the development of metalworking, particularly the use of bronze for tools and weapons. This period also saw the establishment of early civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley.

The agricultural revolution had profound and lasting effects on human societies, including the development of social hierarchies, the rise of cities, and the spread of cultural and technological innovations. It laid the foundation for the complex civilizations that would emerge in subsequent millennia.