Final answer:
Humans used fire for environmental management during the Archaic and Woodland periods, which was a key factor in their adaptation and transition to agriculture.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the Archaic and Woodland periods, ranging from 8,000-1,000 BCE and 1,000 BCE -1,000 CE respectively, humans lived in tribes and made sophisticated use of fire to maintain prairie habitat and for various other purposes. Fire played an important role in shaping the environment and was used deliberately to manage landscapes and aid in hunting and plant food gathering. The use of fire by humans led to significant changes in landscape fire activity and ecosystem processes, with impacts on vegetation distribution patterns and even contributing to megafaunal extinctions. Over time, as human societies developed, the domestication of plants during this era marked a significant transition in human history, paving the way for the agricultural revolution.