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What are three effects of the Agricultural Revolution?

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The Agricultural Revolution led to significant changes in human society. Firstly, it resulted in the development of complex social structures due to permanent settlements and surplus food production, which also spurred trade and specialized jobs. Secondly, it increased population density, although initially, it didn't lead to significant population growth due to dietary limitations. Thirdly, it had a major environmental impact, as settled farming required landscape alterations like irrigation. Additionally, it increased disease spread and warfare due to resource competition.

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I will assume in this question that you are referring to the first known agricultural revolution: the widespread transition from hunter-gatherer to settled farming cultures which occurred somewhere around 10,000 BCE, otherwise known as the Neolithic Revolution. This change had widespread consequences for myriad aspects of human lifestyles and social structure, as well as implications for the global environment. It's also important to note that this transition was not universal and occurred at different times in different parts of the world, but here are three key changes that can be generalized about:

#1. Social organization: Many scholars have theorized that the change from a nomadic to sedentary (settled in one place) lifestyle, especially one focused on cultivating cereal crops, led to more complex and hierarchical social structures. One reason for this could be the accumulation of surplus foodstuffs (like wheat), which could be bartered and, more importantly, taxed, leading to...

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a specialization and division of labor: planters, traders, tool-makers, defenders of the "surplus," decision-makers, and so on.

#2: Population density: Although it is often assumed that the transition from roaming to sedentary life resulted in immediate population growth, in reality many cultures failed to grow significantly for millennia after becoming farmers. This might be because the diet of early planting cultures was worse than their hunter-gatherer counterparts, as a result of the lack of diversity of foodstuffs. Diet was also more dependent on the good and bad years of a few staple crops. Both of these factors probably made settlements more prone to disease and famine. However, settling down did result in a higher concentration of people, with consequences for both social structure and the landscape.

#3: Environmental impact: With the concentration of people into settlements, and the large-scale cultivation of particular crops, the cultures that transitioned into agriculture ushered in unprecedented environmental change. The practice of growing crops created the incentive for significant modifications to the landscape, like irrigation, and also introduced new kinds of organisms into the landscape—both domesticated animals and vermin played huge roles in altering the habitats where people were dense.

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There were many significant human developments that happened as a result of the Agricultural Revolution. The use of farming motivated people to migrate to areas where water was accessible, usually near rivers. Agriculture also caused people to settle down and abandon the nomadic lifestyle of hunting and gathering. Due to the increased availability of food, the population increased. Humans found the need to develop more formal governments as they populated in large numbers in small areas. Governments could settle disputes and manage the surplus of food that existed.

Because a surplus of food was created, humans began to trade with one another. This motivated people to become craftsman or merchants, so a variety of specialized jobs was established.

All of these results, when combined, led to the birth of civilization.

There were also negative aspects related to the Agricultural Revolution. Diseases were spread among people more readily because of the close proximity associated with settlements. Warfare also spread as there was now intense competition for resources.

Results of Agricultural Revolution