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Essay / Demographic, Social, Political, and Economic Effects of the Neolithic Revolution
The Neolithic Revolution was the transition of human beings from a Paleolithic hunter-gatherer species to an agricultural species. It began around 10,000 years ago among various groups of people around the world, without having a specific place of origin but occurring in many places over time. Historians believe the revolution began in response to various issues, the main one being climate change. The end of the last ice age led to an increase in Earth's overall temperatures. This caused large amounts of ice from polling stations to recede, opening up space for habitable land. Thanks to the warmer conditions, the soil was also more fertile and easier to cultivate. Through this, early humans found a way to have a relatively constant food supply and were able to settle down. This is essentially what laid the foundation for how we sustain ourselves as a species today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayThanks to the Neolithic revolution, humans were able to have something they had never had before, large surpluses of food which meant more people could live in an area at a time. Settlements began to grow and people from all regions were drawn to a certain area, leading to more diverse populations. This is different from hunter-gatherer packs which typically consisted of nuclear and extended families. Due to these larger populations and surplus food, someone needed to supervise them. This is where the government came in. Leaders were chosen to track and properly distribute the food. These leaders were formed from military leaders, they became kings, then prime ministers and presidents. Government is now at the center of every human society. The Neolithic Revolution also caused the beginning of social stratification. Some people had larger surpluses than others and were able to sell some of the food. They became richer and could afford to build bigger houses, better land, tools, clothing and much more. Since that time, the disparity between rich and poor has only grown, with the richest 1% (by income) owning 50% of the wealth. The Neolithic Revolution also led to the rise of patriarchy, women were seen as inferior to men, most likely due to men's role as hunters in the Paleolithic era and women's role as nurturers, carrying and caring for more children because families needed more people to work in the fields. They began to face discrimination and, unfortunately, patriarchal societies still exist today and have had lasting effects on women's rights across the world. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Finally, commerce grew greatly due to the shift to agriculture. Groups of people traded the goods they owned for the goods they needed. In modern times, trade (exports) contributes to a large part of our economy..