Final answer:
Agriculture began independently in several regions, including the Fertile Crescent (wheat, barley, goats, sheep), East Asia (rice, millet, beans, pigs), Mesoamerica (maize, beans, squash, turkeys), and the Andean region (potatoes, quinoa, camelids, guinea pigs).
Step-by-step explanation:
Origins of Agriculture and Early Domesticates
The transition to agriculture and the domestication of plants and animals were significant developments in human history, occurring independently in various regions across the globe. Four key regions where agriculture began include:
- The Fertile Crescent: Wheat, barley, and the domestication of goats and sheep.
- East Asia (including northern China and the Yangtze and Yellow River valleys): Rice, millet, beans, and the pig in China.
- Mesoamerica: Maize (corn), beans, squash, and the turkey.
- The Andean region of South America: Potatoes, quinoa, the domestication of camelids like llamas and alpacas, and guinea pigs.
In cases where no evidence of animal domestication was found, additional plants were cultivated, such as squash and bottle gourds in the Andean region.