Argument Writing

Most Important Invention In History: Systematic Agriculture

(Completed By Student: 2015)

Many people underestimate the importance of farming. However, after a brief glance at history, it is irrefutably the most significant invention in the history of mankind. Prior to the development of systematic and sustainable agriculture, humans acted as nomads as they wandered the globe in search of game and wild grains. With their focus on foraging for survival, our nomadic ancestors had little time to create, develop or advance their society. In the Neolithic revolution, when systematic agriculture first arose, the world was forever changed. This development revolutionized the way we live today, as it led to an increase in the human population and it gave humans access to a variety of animal products. Most importantly though, the invention of systematic agriculture led to the development of civilizations, a fact that has greatly influenced modern society.

In early times, as nomads with no constant food source, the human race had no real way of expanding its population. As soon as a regular food supply, or in this case systematic agriculture, had been implemented however, human communities were able to expand due to copious amounts of food. The expansion of the human race is presented multiple times in the online essay, “Agriculture And The Origins Of Civilization: The Neolithic Revolution” by Robert Guisepi. Gradually, systematic agriculture became a more common practice, and “This great increase in the number of sedentary farmers is primarily responsible for the leap in human population during the Neolithic transition. For tens of thousands of years before agriculture was developed, the total number of humans had fluctuated between an estimated five and eight million persons. By 4000 B.C., after four or five millennia of farming, their number had risen to 60 or 70 million.” Due solely to systematic agriculture, the total population of humans on the planet increased by a whopping 50 million. This dramatic expansion marked an important event in human history, though not one that is generally remembered.

Farming also had many indirect impacts on human population growth, as stated by Guisepi. Groups who were sedentary farmers often stored their food to preserve it, and “The presence of stored food in early villages made the houses tempting targets for nomadic bands or rival settlements. For that reason they were increasingly fortified. More dependable and varied food supplies, walls, and sturdy houses greatly enhanced the security and comfort of human groups. These conditions spurred higher rates of procreation and lowered mortality rates…” At the time, attacks from nomadic tribes became common as the tribes didn’t have a constant food source, and in effect needed more food. By preventing this, people who lived in settlements were able to not only keep their own food to survive, but also decrease their likelihood of dying. By decreasing this chance, people were able to survive for longer and reproduce, thus increasing the population.

But why does an increase in any species' population matter? Well, the main reason would be to prevent extinction. To keep a species stable, there has to be enough members of that population to continue reproducing. When this number decreases by too much, there is a downward spiral where the population will continue to decrease until the species collapses. Enough members of a species are needed to keep it out of extinction and this is exactly what systematic agriculture achieved. It allowed the human population to increase to a point where it was unlikely to disappear.

When people first think of systematic agriculture, they think of farming, and harvesting crops. In reality though, this term is double sided. While it does refer to cultivation, it also relates to the domestication of animals. Author Gil Stein describes this concept in his article “From Hunters to Farmers, a Revolution in Human History.” He defines domestication as “...the process of increasing human control over the breeding of wild plants and animals in order to select for traits that make them more useful for human needs, such as food, transportation, or other animal products, such as wool, hides, or dairy products.” Domestic animals, such as sheep, goats, and cows, supply these products, which can then be used for a variety of purposes. In the early stages of history, animal hide and bone were especially useful.

The document “World History Textbook” depicts how both hide and bone may have been used by the early humans. For example, “Harpoons and fishhooks made of bone increased the catch of fish… Needles formed from animal bones could be used for making nets and baskets and even sewing hides together for clothing… Perhaps most common [shelter] was a simple structure of wood poles or sticks covered with animal hides.” Needless to say, animal products which could be more regularly harvested after the domestication of animals greatly impacted the society of early humans. These materials allowed for developments in categories ranging from tools to clothing to shelter, all essential for survival.

In addition to the production of often hard to get goods, the domestication of animals had other beneficial qualities as well. On page 28, it is written in the textbook that, “The domestication (adaptation for human use) of animals added a steady source of meat, milk, and wool. Animals could also be used to do work. The growing of crops and the taming of food-producing animals created what historians call an agricultural revolution. Some believe this revolution was the single most important development in human history.” While the domestication of animals did lead to the production of many goods, it also created a new workforce. Humans could now tame animals and use them to till their farmland with the newly created plow (which of course only came about because of systematic agriculture), or use them to herd other animals. With this help, early humans were able to accomplish more tasks efficiently, thus advancing their society. Similarly, once tamed, these animals could also be used for transportation, as mentioned previously by Gil Stein. This would have created fairly quick communication and trading systems which linked otherwise separated communities. These two aspects combined would have led to the exchange of ideas and concepts, something very important for an improving society, as well as new occupations. The occupation of trading would have contributed to the ever-expanding social structure of the human race. Social structure is one of the six elements of civilization, thus proving that systematic agriculture had an impact on the development of these civilizations. This impact was in fact tremendous, as cultivation was a cause of not one, but all six of the aspects of civilization.

Systematic agriculture has had a huge effect on humans since the beginning, but what would the world be like without it? Certainly not an organized one. After all, systematic agriculture alone allowed the first civilizations to not only develop, but also thrive. Civilizations are made up of six key elements; permanent settlements, social structure, government, religion, art, and writing. Systematic agriculture had significant impacts on several of these, as discussed by Gil Stein, author of the article “From Hunters to Farmers, a Revolution in Human History.” Stein claims that “With the domestication of the key food plants and animals… people were able to live in large settled communities with a reliable, predictable, and abundant food supply that was able to support the development of cities, craft specialization, social stratification, temple priesthoods, and kingship – the complex of connected institutions that we call ‘civilization’. In short, the consequences of the Neolithic revolution were enormous – affecting nearly every major aspect of human environment, economy, and culture.” All of these elements are prevalent and necessary in today’s society, making systematic agriculture an important invention. A document titled “World History Textbook” focused on the same topic describes how this amazing innovation impacted the other aspects of civilization, writing and art. As an abundance of “...food was produced, the population in these areas grew, and people began to live in cities, form governments, and develop writing and art. Historians call this process the beginnings of civilization.” Systematic agriculture allowed humans to have time to create art and a form of communication. By combining the information from these two reliable sources, it is evident that all six elements of civilization were results of systematic agriculture. It is equally obvious that without this impacting invention, the world would be a different place. Tribes would roam the Earth due to a lack of both organized leadership and a constant supply of food. No one would be able to communicate save through actions and speaking as writing wouldn’t exist. Of equal significance, people would have no form of accurately recording history. In fact, none of the six elements that define a civilization would be in existence without this beneficial development. Systematic agriculture has allowed for the modern world to exist, making it the most salient invention in history.

Now, some people believe that the most crucial invention of all time is in fact the wheel. It is easy to understand why this may be someone’s initial reaction. The online article “One of the Most Important Inventions" explains why the wheel holds the title of “Most Important.” Prior to the invention of “...the wheel it was almost impossible to transport big loads from one place to another. People had to do many journeys carrying things little by little… You can see wheels in your home, in your work, on the streets or anywhere… You will see cars buses motorcycles and airplanes, all using wheels to run… It seems it makes no difference how far technology goes, a wheel will be always necessary and present.” The wheel is ever present in our current world and is used in the majority of inventions. Not only that, but it also revolutionized transportation and the movement of goods. Due to all of this, the wheel is incontrovertibly important, but is it the most significant in all of human history?

By delving deeper into the subject, it is found that in truth, the wheel could have never existed if not for systematic agriculture. A document titled “The Genesis of Lifting” discusses how the wheel was a result of cultivation. In early times, “The annual flow of rich mud allowed plants previously gathered over wide areas to be seeded and harvested systematically by men and women. Although seasonal flooding of the rivers brought new soil once or twice a year, it was necessary at other times to elevate water and send it through irrigation ditches… Next, came water wheels that raised greater volumes and were driven by human and animal power -- or by the flow of the current, itself.” Clearly, without the invention of systematic agriculture, the wheel would have not existed. Not only was it invented after systematic agriculture, but it was also used for irrigation purposes. These facts would imply that systematic agriculture was an influential reason for the invention of the wheel. Systematic agriculture opened up new possibilities for the human race such as the wheel and other developments, thus making it far superior in importance than all the inventions it led to.

Though some inventions attempt to surpass it in its importance, nothing compares to the salient development of systematic agriculture. Systematic agriculture led to an increase in the human population, a fact that caused the species as a whole to become stabilized, and therefore lowered the human race’s chance of extinction. Also, the domestication of animals led to the mass production of beneficial materials. Systematic agriculture could even be considered the “founding father” of the development of civilizations, a fact that has greatly influenced the world today. Despite the fact that no invention has matched systematic agriculture in importance, this may change. In our ever-changing world, it is very possible that soon, something may be created that will once again revolutionize the way our society operates.