Question

Then, about 6000 B.C., and somewhere in the Near East (as far as we know), the

Neolithic way of life began. It is still called "Neolithic" (New Stone Age, as Mesolithic
means Middle, and Paleolithic means Old Stone Age), because the older
anthropologists saw everything in the light of stonework, and thought of this period"
as the age of polished stone axes. But it means, rather, a state of culture in which food
is planted and bred, not hunted and gathered in which food is domesticated, not
wild. If we had to choose the greatest single change in human history right up to the
present this would be it. I mean, of course, a change by cultural evolution, as distinct
from a biological change like standing erect, or gradually becoming able to use culture
and language in the first place. And I do not mean that the change was sudden, or
dramatic to those who were changing, as though a light were being switched on. It was
dramatic, but long after, in its consequences, because everything else we have
achieved flowed out of this as a beginning..
- William Howells, Back of History, Doubleay & Co.
What language does he use to persuade the reader ?
What evidence does he use ?
How does his language indicate his perspective ?

Answer 1

The passage discusses the Neolithic Revolution, emphasizing its transformative impact on human society through the shift from hunter-gatherer to agricultural lifestyles. The author's language and evidence reflect his viewpoint that this period marks the most significant change in human history.

Step-by-step explanation:

The passage refers to the transition from the Paleolithic Age to the Neolithic Age, a pivotal era in human history marked by a fundamental shift in the way people lived. During the Neolithic Revolution, humans moved away from hunting and gathering and began to develop agriculture and domestic animal breeding, leading to significant cultural and societal changes. In the extract, the author uses evocative language to highlight the profound impact of this period on the course of human history, suggesting that it was the most consequential cultural evolution in our development.

William Howells persuades readers by providing evidence of the transformative nature of the Neolithic Revolution. He describes the era not just in terms of tool refinement—the shift from crude to polished stone axes—but as a broader cultural shift towards domestication of plants and animals. The author's perspective is clear through his choice of phrases such as "the greatest single change in human history" and through his description of this era's 'dramatic consequences' that "flowed out of this as a beginning". The way he characterizes this period communicates his belief in its unparalleled significance to human progress.