The Neolithic Agricultural Revolution, which began around 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, was caused by a combination of several factors:
-
Climate Change: After the last Ice Age, the climate became warmer and more stable, which made it suitable for the growth of wild grains and enabled the domestication of plants and animals.
-
Population Pressure: As human populations grew, the demand for food increased, leading communities to seek more reliable and sustainable sources of food rather than relying solely on hunting and gathering.
-
Development of Tools: Advances in technology, such as the development of tools for farming and harvesting, allowed humans to cultivate crops more effectively.
-
Social Changes: As communities settled in one place, social structures evolved, leading to more complex societies that could support agriculture.
-
Preference for Settled Life: The benefits of a more sedentary lifestyle, including the ability to store surplus food and develop more complex social structures, made farming an attractive alternative to a nomadic existence.
These factors combined to facilitate the transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to one based on agriculture, ultimately leading to the development of permanent settlements and the rise of civilization.