Week 4: Notes and Slides (19-20)

Question 1

Define “slash-and-burn agriculture.”

Answer 1

Slash-and-burn agriculture is a farming method that involves cutting and burning vegetation to clear land for cultivation. This approach relies on natural rainfall for water and was commonly used in early European agriculture.

Question 2

What major problem is associated with slash-and-burn agriculture?

A) Increased soil fertility

B) Permanent soil erosion

C) Reduced reliance on water sources

D) Expansion of agricultural species diversity

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Compare the agricultural life in “Dark Ages” Europe to the Roman Empire.

Answer 3

During the Roman Empire, life was cosmopolitan and interconnected, with extensive trade networks. In the Dark Ages, after Rome’s fall, agriculture became localized, with communities focused on self-sufficient manors in the North and villas in the South.

Question 4

Fill-in-the-Blank Card

Question: The spread of agriculture from the Fertile Crescent likely occurred through a process called ______ rather than colonization.

Answer 4

Answer: Diffusion

Question 5

True/False Card

Question: Early European agriculture was highly dependent on sophisticated irrigation systems.

Answer 5

False – Early European agriculture primarily relied on rain and slash-and-burn methods.

Question 6

What were some of the problems with early European agriculture, and how did these impact food sources?

Answer 6

Problems included soil erosion and species extinctions.

As a result, diets did not change significantly over time, suggesting that agriculture failed frequently, requiring supplementary food sources.

Question 7

During the Dark Ages, which of the following became the main focus of agricultural life in Europe?

A) Manors and villas

B) Individual farms

C) Large city markets

D) Transcontinental trade networks

Answer 7

A

Question 8

True/False Card

Agriculture in the Dark Ages in Europe was based on isolated, self-sufficient communities.

Answer 8

True

Question 9

What is “self-sufficient agriculture” as seen in Dark Ages Europe?

Answer 9

Self-sufficient agriculture refers to a system where communities, such as manors or villas, produce most of their food and resources locally, with little reliance on external trade or outside resources.

This was common in Europe during the Dark Ages after the fall of the Roman Empire.

Question 10

Fill-in-the-Blank Card

The method of agriculture that involved clearing land by cutting and burning vegetation, often leading to soil erosion, is known as ______.

Answer 10

Answer: Slash-and-burn agriculture