The First Agricultural Revolution

Agricultural revolutions have come to define our world and lives. Throughout years, agriculture has shifted with human society. This is exemplified in the three agricultural revolutions. In the first revolution, humans embraced and utilized agriculture for the first time, setting a permanent theme. In the second revolution, humans developed technology to help distribute and create food faster and more reliably than ever before. In the current revolution, we explore the scientific sides of food production and consumption, bending the laws of nature to fit our human needs. I will explore these concepts in my essay today, to show the true impact agriculture has had on human life. The first agricultural revolution took place around 10,000 BCE.
This period parallel the developments of the Industrial Revolution. The main developments of this time included improved methods of cultivation, harvesting, and storage of produce. One of main themes of this period was increased methods of manufacturing. With new machines being made to make work faster, agriculture became more efficient. The mechanization of harvesting moved the word into a new age of production. Things such as cotton gins and tractors appeared at this time, letting farmers produce more food than ever. Another major theme of this period was the Enclosure Movement. In this movement, farmers moved towards fencing and sectioning off their land. Taking ownership of their land, farmers increased the area of their farm by buying areas around them. Yet another development in agriculture was crop rotation. In this new method, production and output was greatly increased, with farmers making the most out of their land. The crops rotated between three or four different fields, making sure that they maximized their profits. Combining all of these factors together, we can see how this agricultural revolution changed the world. Human populations greatly increased, cities got bigger, and fewer farmers were needed. Because of this era, places such as New York and London grew to great high heights, with many a high population fed by powerful and efficient farms. We can still see the impact of this
During this revolution, science played a major part in maximizing profits, with developments such as high-yield seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides. These inventions took part in growing food through science. As more and more was being discovered about science and the practice thereof, people found how to modify the genetic and physical makeup of plants to make be most helpful products to humans. One of the most hotly-contested debates in the world right now is the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOS). GMOS were first used during this third agricultural revolution. They are engineered to be the most useful and marketable to humans. When altering the size or flavor to get the most desirable trait, people are more apt to buy those perfect specimens, rather than damaged or discolored natural products. This puts stress both on the scientist and farmer to continue to pursue spotless and marketable products. These “Biotech Foods” continue to shape the future, impacting the way we see foods today. The advantages of this system include higher-yielding plants, which in turn go to produce and support bigger