Final answer:
The period of history that began around 10,300 years ago with the domestication of plants is known as the Neolithic period or New Stone Age. It featured the Agricultural Revolution, where humans transitioned to farming, significantly impacting human civilization and leading to more stable societies with permanent settlements.
Step-by-step explanation:
The period of history that began with the domestication of plants around 10,300 years ago is referred to as the Neolithic period, also known as the New Stone Age. This era marked a significant transformation in human history, shifting from the Mesolithic period's initial steps toward plant cultivation to a more established and expansive approach to agriculture. The Neolithic period is characterized by the Agricultural Revolution, a fundamental change in the way humans acquired food, leading to the domestication of plants like rice, millet, and various other crops, as well as animals such as dogs, pigs, and chickens. This transition enabled the growth of populations and the formation of permanent settlements, setting the stage for the development of civilizations.
In the Americas, during the Archaic and the Woodland periods, people also began the process of plant domestication, leading to an agricultural revolution that would forever alter the human trajectory. With this revolution, indigenous cultures flourished, and the staple crops of Mesoamerica, such as corn, beans, and squash, emerged as central to many diets.
Overall, the Neolithic Age was a time of vast innovation and societal development, with its beginnings rooted in the critical undertaking of domesticating plants and animals for human sustenance. The profound impact of this period is still felt today, as the practices of agriculture continue to sustain human life across the globe.