1 )Benefit of
hunter gatherers: Hunter gathers are able to independently make choices for
themselves. They are able to choose the conditions in which they hunt and the
time when they hunt. This brought a separation of roles in the community while
men hunted and women collected plant food. Hunter gatherers hunted in small
groups and in result of performing such a physically demanding task most hunter
gathers were in good shape. With such small groups, it was beneficial for
hunter gathers to share their food and not waste it. Benefit of agriculture: agriculture
was beneficial because the community is able to grow in surplus and have an
abundance of what they wanted. Because of occasional abundance in food, trade
became part of the agriculture culture. Agriculture meant many people hard to
work together to keep whatever they were growing healthy and alive, this
resulted in more jobs and responsibilities. Crops meant settling in one place
unlike the hunter gathers that were always on the go. Agriculture was beneficial
for the entire tribe or community as a whole rather than a small group like the
hunter gathers.
2)Disadvantages
of hunter gathers: The constant moving to hunt and feel a hierarchy of needs
(thirst and hunger). Every day is a
hunt, so hunter gathers don’t have much time to put their time and efforts into
other things. The search for food can become scare at times due to weather
conditions, so there is always a small population that is constantly traveling
because hunter gathers cannot feed a lot of people. Hunting animals can be
dangerous, so hunter gathers are also putting their life at risk. Disadvantages
of agriculture are solely relying on the environment to provide good soil. With
a bad drought an entire crop can be ruined. This can result in an un-balanced
diet, searching for other means of food. Harvesting also means taking up
natural land and using it to grow crops therefore there is less land for the
population to live on. With agriculture it is shown that there are more
sicknesses and illness within the population because of the diet, lack of
nutrition, etc. Also different forms of chemicals are used to kill pesticides
that can become harmful to the population due to run offs.
3&4)
Reading an article titled “Grain, disease, and innovation,” writer Razib Khan
makes a statement that agriculture did result in the deteriorating of health. This
deteriorating health was caused in an increase in infectious and dental disease
and a rise in nutritional deficiencies. I believe some cultures made the
transition into agriculture because it presented a better lifestyle for a
family. Agriculturally, people were able to settle down and raise children and
not be on the constant move like hunter gathers. Everyone lived in reliable circumstances
with food, and now trade which helped the population economically.
1) The
direct relationship on the availability
of surplus and the ability to trade
is that the population has the capability to produce an abundance of something
on purpose because they have the ability to trade. Basically saying that
the population has to feed themselves but because they have the availability to
produce more than what they need, they will do so because they have the ability
to trade it and benefit from the trade.
2) One
benefit from trading would be building a relationship with whoever you are
trading with, bringing people closer together. Another benefit would be an
increase in money, or what you receive in return for the trade.
3) One
negative of trading would be a separation in classes. Trading can become
political singling other farmers out. Another negative would be clash in
farmers with trade. Trading amongst different farmers can see it as loyalty and
once that is broken I can cause tension.
4) The
development of agriculture brings a homeostasis to farmers are they can rely on
other farmers when they are lacking different things such as tools. The
relationship between the two is that they are meant to help out the population
as a whole and benefit them in a positive way.
I never even considered the choices involved with hunting like time, place, etc as a benefit with specialized roles. Good insight.
ReplyDeleteYou made very valid points when speaking about, the choices hunters get to make for themselves. You also mentioned that a negative side to trade, is the seperation in class, this is always a negative for me. I don't agree with the way people treat eachother just because their status is diffrent then one's own. I enjoyed reading you blog, very nicely done.
ReplyDeleteSayom M.
You made some good points about how agriculture can help a community attain homeostasis. Something I learned in another class about the beginnings of agriculture was something called slash and burn agriculture. Slash and burn agriculture was used by semi-sedentary groups of people. They would cut down a part of the forest and burn it to provide nutrients for the soil. However, once that soil was used up they would have to either move, or slash and burn another part of the forest. I think moving from slash and burn to crop rotation is another aspect of farming that has not was not explored adequately in this chapter.
ReplyDeleteOne of the common themes behind the development of agriculture is the issue of "control". Cultural traits usually allow humans some way of controlling the variations of the environment around them and agriculture certainly provides some measure of control of the environment. You have raised one, in terms of allowing populations to stay in one place for longer periods of time. It also allows some measure of control over their food supply, though of course they are still at the whim of weather and climatic issues. Good point raised.
ReplyDeleteGood discussion on trade. Keep in mind that monetary systems developed relatively recently, so that wouldn't have been an issue or benefit to early human populations engaging in early trade systems.
I like how you brought in the word "homeostasis" in the final paragraph. Nice touch!