Final answer:
Animal domestication started around ten thousand years ago, with early domesticated animals including sheep, goats, chickens, horses, and llamas, leading to significant changes in human societies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Domestication of animals began approximately ten thousand years ago, during the Neolithic Age. This process involved selecting animals with traits beneficial to humans, such as docility, strength, and rapid reproduction. For example, sheep and goats were domesticated in the Near East around 10,000 years ago, chickens in South Asia around 8,000 years ago, horses in Central Asia around 6,000 years ago, and llamas in Peru approximately 6,000 years ago. Over time, these domesticated animals became integral to human societies by providing food, clothing, and transportation, fundamentally changing the human way of life and leading to the development of more settled societies with specialized occupations and trade.