When was the agricultural revolution?

The agricultural revolution is the name given to the changes which meant humans transitioned from a hunting species to one of agriculture and animal domestication. This change marked a significant turning point in human history it is often considered one of the most important milestones in human development, contributing to the way our world is today.

There is no way to pinpoint the exact timing of the agricultural revolution, and views differ from region to region due to different ways of living across different continents. The consensus is that it began around 10,000 BCE, around 12,000 years ago, and took shape in countries such as Egypt, India, China, and the Middle East as these regions provided the best conditions for the development of agriculture.

Initially, plants were one of the first species to become domesticated during the agricultural revolution as farmers began to utilize crops such as wheat, rice, maize, and barley. By shifting from living off of wild plants to learning how to grow crops for a more reliable food supply, farmers learned to sow seeds, support crop growth, and harvest. As well as plants, people then started to see the benefits of domesticating animals, beginning to breed animals for human use which quickly became a universal food source. As well as using animals such as sheep, cows, pigs, and chickens for meat, domesticating them meant they could also use them for milk, wool, and other materials.

Now that communities had discovered a way to provide themselves with a continuous source of food, the human population began to increase which led to the development of villages and towns. With every family being tasked with a different agricultural duty, social structures were formed and civilizations were developed, creating a huge shift in the way life was previously lived. As time went on, ultimately the different communities began to create an exchange network, trading goods between regions with different growing conditions.