Final answer:
The advent of farming, known as the Neolithic Revolution, saw the independent domestication of plants and animals in various regions such as the Fertile Crescent, China, Mesoamerica, sub-Saharan Africa, India, New Guinea, South America, and eastern North America, leading to crucial societal changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Centers of Plant and Animal Domestication
The process of domestication of plants and animals, which marked the beginning of agriculture, is known as the Neolithic Revolution. Various regions around the world have been identified as independent centers of plant and animal domestication, contributing significantly to the development of human societies. The most well-known of these centers include:
- The Fertile Crescent in the Middle East, dating back approximately 11,000 years ago, where wheat, barley, peas, and lentils were among the first plants to be cultivated.
- Northern China, around 9,000 years ago, with the domestication of millet, rice, and beans.
- Mesoamerica, about 8,000 years ago, where early forms of maize, beans, and squash were developed.
Other regions that have contributed to the independent domestication of plants and animals include, but are not limited to, sub-Saharan Africa, India, New Guinea, South America, and the eastern woodlands of North America.
In addition to grains, the domestication of various animal species played a crucial role in the Neolithic agricultural revolution. Key domesticated animals include sheep and goats in the Near East, chickens in South Asia, horses in Central Asia, and llamas in Peru, displaying a wide temporal and geographical span of domestication practices.
The adoption of these revolutionary farming techniques led to more stable food sources, surging populations, and the transformation of human societies from nomadic tribes to settled communities with specialized trades and eventually, the rise of cities and empires.