How did the Neolithic Revolution change the way humans lived?
Because people could now farm instead of hunting and gathering, they could settle down and live in one place. This led to settlements and the development of group living. People began living in tighter, more complex social situations, which also led to better and more complicated forms of communication and language.
Eventually, concepts of government began to form, because now that people were living in settlements they needed to be able to divide the work and oversee how things were going in an organized way. People began to have food surpluses, leading to even more population growth and trade. Leisure time became more common, as farming took up less time during the day than hunting and gathering.
Lastly, a switch from a matriarchal system to a more patriarchal system occurred. In hunting and gathering times, women were thought very highly of because they hunted and gathered just like the men did. On top of that, they also gave birth (created life). After the Neolithic Revolution, there was no longer a need for the women to hunt and gather. A family could live off of the male's work on the farm, and because they then needed only one person to feed the family, women fell into homemaking roles.
Eventually, concepts of government began to form, because now that people were living in settlements they needed to be able to divide the work and oversee how things were going in an organized way. People began to have food surpluses, leading to even more population growth and trade. Leisure time became more common, as farming took up less time during the day than hunting and gathering.
Lastly, a switch from a matriarchal system to a more patriarchal system occurred. In hunting and gathering times, women were thought very highly of because they hunted and gathered just like the men did. On top of that, they also gave birth (created life). After the Neolithic Revolution, there was no longer a need for the women to hunt and gather. A family could live off of the male's work on the farm, and because they then needed only one person to feed the family, women fell into homemaking roles.
Pros and Cons of the Neolithic Revolution
Pros:
- rise in the crude birth rate
- drop in the crude death rate
- advancing in the Demographic Transition Model (from Stage 1 to Stage 2)
- more definitive, steady food sources, less hunger
- less vulnerable to predators/enemies
- development of more language, shared knowledge
- everyone helps get work done, more leisure time
Cons:
- dependent on weather/season for a good crop
- soil nutrient depletion
- diseases are concentrated and spread easily in the community
- men became more highly valued than women
- rise in the crude birth rate
- drop in the crude death rate
- advancing in the Demographic Transition Model (from Stage 1 to Stage 2)
- more definitive, steady food sources, less hunger
- less vulnerable to predators/enemies
- development of more language, shared knowledge
- everyone helps get work done, more leisure time
Cons:
- dependent on weather/season for a good crop
- soil nutrient depletion
- diseases are concentrated and spread easily in the community
- men became more highly valued than women
Comparison to the Von Thunen Model
The Von Thunen Model was developed by Johann von Thunen to illustrate the important relationship between the proximity a farm has to market and the crops grown on the farm. The principle belief of this model is that farmers must consider the types of animals and crops to grow by evaluating the location of the market they are targeting in order to obtain the largest profit.
The Neolithic Revolution did not support the Von Thunen Model as later agricultural revolutions did. The reason for this is simply that back then, people were just starting out with the whole agriculture thing and had not yet reached the point where they thought to send it to market for a profit. The main purpose of agriculture at this point was to grow food for your family and community. Surplus food might be traded with nearby communities, but the element of strategy brought on by the Von Thunen Model was not yet relevant.
The Neolithic Revolution did not support the Von Thunen Model as later agricultural revolutions did. The reason for this is simply that back then, people were just starting out with the whole agriculture thing and had not yet reached the point where they thought to send it to market for a profit. The main purpose of agriculture at this point was to grow food for your family and community. Surplus food might be traded with nearby communities, but the element of strategy brought on by the Von Thunen Model was not yet relevant.