Final answer:
The first cultural domestication is known as the Neolithic Revolution or the Agricultural Revolution, beginning around 12,000 years ago. It marks the shift from nomadic lifestyles to settled agricultural communities and the domestication of plants and animals, leading to significant sociocultural advancements.
Step-by-step explanation:
The period of first cultural domestication, often known as the Neolithic Revolution or the Agricultural Revolution, began around 12,000 years ago. This era marks the transition from nomadic hunter-gatherer societies to settled agricultural communities. The domestication of plants and animals during this period allowed for a more stable food supply, leading to population growth, the development of permanent settlements, and the rise of civilizations. Mesoamerica is one of the regions where early plant domestication, including crops like corn, beans, and squash, significantly shaped human diet and culture. Another crucial development during this period was the establishment of agriculture in the Americas. The Paleo-Indian period marks the earliest era of human habitation in the Americas, followed by the Archaic period (8,000-1,000 BCE) and the Woodland period (1,000 BCE-1,000 CE), during which plant domestication occurred. The Archaic and Woodland periods are recognized for starting the transition into farming societies with the introduction of domesticated plants, fundamentally altering human societies and leading to diverse and complex pre-Columbian cultures. The introduction of permanent gardens and the subsequent specialization in crafts like pottery and metalwork illustrate how agriculture enabled the sophistication of human activities and the construction of social structures that eventually led to regional empires.