4. Ivy McDermott- Ch. 6 The Most Successful Species? 2/15/2023

 The Invention of Agriculture

I can recall during an introductory level world history class we were tasked with choosing an invention that we thought was the most important event in history and I chose agriculture, so this chapter was very agreeable with what I've learned already in history. Agriculture allowed hunter-gatherer type nomadic people to become stationary, and "the plow tied the farmer to a place," according to Joel Cohen (p. 136).

From this, specialized roles and so many other things flourished. Government, jobs, social class and hierarchy, religion, philosophy, art, music, writing took off, and other technological advancements, because people were able to remain in one place. People segregated into those who farmed, those who performed civil jobs for the community, and usually some form of ruler or government to organize people. It's no question how important agriculture actually is, so it should be of utmost importance to protect these farms, their rights, but also with respect to the land that nourishes us.

We learned about the Mayans and how they were thriving living off the land, yet suddenly had a huge downfall and dwindling population. They put a lot of their resources into war, for instance, they built high temples to appease the gods so that war would go in their favor, and inevitably, they worked themselves and the environment too hard and had to search for other sources of water. We also learned about the Aral Sea, and how this is happening all over the world, overuse of natural resources and depleting our underground aquifers. Water is the essential component of all life, including our plant friends, or primary producers. Plants are also so essential for the whole food web. Without the sun and the sun's energy being harvested by tiny plants and microorganisms, we would have nothing. It's imperative to find a way to healthily provide food locally.