Final answer:
Agriculture originated in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East around 12,000 years ago, with the domestication of wheat, barley, and some animals. This led to a stable food supply, specialization of labor, and the rise of early urban areas. The practice of agriculture later spread and developed independently in various other parts of the world.
Step-by-step explanation:
The origins of agriculture can be traced back to the Middle East, where it began approximately 12,000 years ago in a region known as the Fertile Crescent. This area, which includes parts of the modern-day Middle East such as northern Iraq, southeastern Turkey, and western Iran, was home to the earliest evidence of agriculture with the domestication of crops like wheat and barley, and animals such as goats and sheep. The environment of the Fertile Crescent, laden with an abundance of naturally occurring nutritious staples and a temperate climate, played a critical role in nurturing the conditions necessary for the transition from hunting and gathering to settled agriculture.
A hallmark of this agricultural revolution was the deliberate planting of grains and the domestication of animals, which resulted in a stable and reliable food source. This stability allowed for the specialization of labor and the rise of early urban areas, such as Jericho and Çatalhöyük, where populations surged to as high as six thousand inhabitants. Over time, agriculture spread to various parts of the world, developing independently in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, India, New Guinea, South America, and the eastern woodlands of North America.