Farming revolutionized human civilization by allowing for stable food supplies through crop planting and animal domestication, enabling people to settle permanently in communities rather than following nomadic lifestyles as hunters and gatherers. This transition from the Old Stone Age to the New Stone Age established early towns and villages through agriculture and led to new developments like specialized work, defense cooperation, and long-distance trade between distant places and peoples.

1. Chapter 3: From Hunters and Gatherers to FarmersThe Most Important Change in Human History

2. The Stone AgeStone Age: named because of the types of tools used by peoplePaleolithic Age: Old Stone AgeNeolithic Age: New Stone Age

3. From Old to New Stone AgePaleolithic AgeNeolithic Age2 million B.C.E8000 B.C.E3000 B.C.EDiscovery of AgricultureTools & Weapons made of stoneTools & Weapons made of metal

4. Creating a Stable Food SupplyHunters & GatherersHunt wild animalsGather nuts, berries, and other plantsLived out in the openNomadic lifestyleFarmersDomesticateanimals for foodPlant cropsLived in permanent sheltersStable lifestyleAgriculture =growing crops & domesticating animals

6. Establishing CommunitiesFarming allowed people to settle down near their farmsThis created early towns and villagesAbility to divide work and work togetherShared defense

8. Beginning to TradeTrade= the business of buying and selling or exchanging itemsTraders traveled hundreds of miles to find what they neededTrade allowed people to make use of more resources and brought them into contact with new people from distant placesThis helped spread ideas around the ancient world

9. SummaryFarming changed peoples livesStable food supplyPermanent shelters and communitiesNew jobs and trade