Origins of Agriculture: Earliest Beginnings

Question 1

domestication

Answer 1

• caused changes in form of plants and animals
• one of the oldest transitions from hunting and gathering to agriculture has been identified as dating to between 14,500 and 12,000 bp in Southwest Asia
• by 12,000–11,000 bp, and possibly earlier, domesticated forms of some plants had been developed in the region, and by 10,000 bp domesticated animals were appearing
• by 8500–8000 bp millet and rice (Oryza sativa) were being domesticated in East Asia

Question 2

Epipaleotlichic people

Answer 2

• people who survived from the end of the Paleolithic Period into early postglacial times and used smaller stone tools (microblades) than their predecessors.

Question 3

Americas

Answer 3

• squash existed in domesticated form in southern Mexico and northern Peru by about 10,000–9000 bp

Question 4

dogs

Answer 4

• dog appears to be the earliest domesticated animal
• greatest genetic diversity is in China
• the earliest dogs found in the Americas were descendants of Chinese dogs
• came with people to the New World, 13,000 years ago
• domesticated from the wolf