Question

Centers of domestication Intensive foraging Agriculture

Near East 15,000 11,500
North China 11,600 9,000
South China 12,000 8,000
Sub-Saharan Africa 9,000 4,500
Southcentral Andes 7,000 5,250
Central Mexico 7,000 5,750
Eastern United States 6,000 5,250
Dates before present in calendar years of achievement of plant intensive hunting and gathering and agriculture in different regions. Adapted from Peter T. Richerson et. al., "Was Agriculture Impossible during the Pleistocene but Mandatory during the Holocene?" (2001), 400.
Which of the following was a direct effect of the development of agriculture in the regions shown on the chart?
Choose 1 answer:
Choose 1 answer:

(Choice A)
A
Spread of pastoralism and crop farming

(Choice B)
B
Development of complex civilizations

(Choice C)
C
Large-scale migration on multiple continents

(Choice D)
D
Development of intensive foraging

Answer 1

The development of agriculture led directly to the development of complex civilizations, as it supported population growth, social hierarchies, labor specialization, and resource accumulation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The development of agriculture in the regions shown on the chart had several direct effects. However, the most prominent one, represented by choice B, is the development of complex civilizations. Farming allowed human societies to transition from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled agricultural ones, which fostered population growth and the establishment of stable communities. This, in turn, led to the development of social hierarchies, specialization of labor, and an accumulation of resources that would be foundational for the establishment of complex civilizations. Over time, as agriculture became more efficient and capable of producing surpluses, societies began developing systems of writing, trade, governance, and culture that characterized complex civilizations.