Textbook: Chapter 3, 3 Flashcards
How did the Biologically Old Regime support the growth of early human populations?
By transforming forests and grasslands into farmland, it allowed humans to efficiently use solar energy to produce food, supporting larger, settled communities.
How did the environment of Mesoamerica influence the origins of agriculture in the region?
The region’s diverse climate, due to its range of altitudes and tropical location, created a “climatic mosaic” with cold, temperate, and warm temperatures that supported a variety of crops.
Which crops were central to the agricultural development in Mesoamerica?
A) Wheat, barley, rice
B) Maize, beans, squash, gourds, chili peppers, and avocado
C) Potatoes, millet, oats
D) Rye, peas, carrots
B
When did the domestication of maize occur in Mesoamerica, and how did it impact food production?
Maize was domesticated around 6,500 BP, marking a significant advancement in food production and shaping the social and economic structure of the region.
True or False: The spread of maize cultivation across the Americas led to the gradual replacement of hunting and gathering societies with settled agricultural communities.
True. Maize and related agricultural practices spread widely, supporting settled communities over hunting and gathering.
How did early agriculture spread across Europe during the Neolithic period?
Early farmers from Southwest Asia migrated into Europe, bringing seeds, plants, and agricultural technology. Their knowledge was adopted by local Mesolithic inhabitants, leading to the spread of agriculture.
Between 8,000 BP and 6,500 BP, what activities did Neolithic farmers in Europe engage in?
A) Agriculture, pottery making, and animal domestication
B) Only hunting and gathering
C) Building cities and trading
D) Exclusively fishing and gathering wild plants
A
True or False: In the extreme northern reaches of Europe, hunting and gathering continued even after the spread of agriculture.
True. Hunting and gathering persisted in northern Europe until the practice eventually ended in the modern era.
How did Mesolithic people in central Europe adapt to the spread of farming technology?
Mesolithic people in central Europe continued hunting wild boar and deer but adopted cereal cultivation and animal herding when hunting failed. They also learned pottery-making for cooking and storage from migrating farmers.
By 6,500 BP, which regions had wheat spread to in Europe?
A) From Greece to the British Isles
B) From Spain to Scandinavia
C) From Italy to Eastern Europe
D) From Poland to Russia
A
True or False: The spread of farming throughout Europe was slowed down by global warming (medieval warm period), between 6000 and 5,200 BP.
False. The spread of farming was aided by global warming, which created favorable conditions for cereal production in central Europe.
How did warming in central Europe during certain periods impact agriculture and land use?
Pollen analysis showed that forests retreated due to warming, allowing crops to be planted in higher elevations (up to 60-70 ft or 18-21 m higher).
This expansion of farming reached as high as the hills of northern England during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.
