The Neolithic
The first agricultural revolution, or commonly known as the Neolithic Revolution, marked the beginning of an extensive scale migration of humans from hunting and gathering to that of settlement and agriculture. Human beings began evolving and behaving differently than in the past. Rather than depending on food gathering, humans began developing new technologies to produce food. About 10,000BC, humans began forming agricultural villages. According to Freeman (2019), these villages revolutionized the social sphere of the people in the past, causing them to depart from the former systems and ways of life. The new farming technology allowed people to live in concentrated and more permanent residence. Not everyone had to spend their whole time devoted to food production. The society was opening up for more responsibilities that needed more people to engage in. The food produced was distributed among members, and the rest went to the farmers.
Further, the new technological systems of farming allowed people to live together as a community. The communities became reproductive not only in agriculture but also in arts and creativity. Through technology, people began to produce poultry, metal works, textiles, paintings, pottery, sculptures, tools, and buildings. These developments were tied to growth in agriculture and settlement in larger villages (Freeman, 2019). However, anthropologists are still trying to understand the reasons behind variations in the growth of human civilizations. There were many variables caused by technology that affected the socio-economic life of early humans—for example, irrigation projects, competition, trade, warfare, and trade. Every society got complex based on the advancements of social, political, and environmental stimuli.
Apart from social and political change, the Neolithic Revolution had biological consequences. When people adopted the system of regrouping and living together, they began to intermarry and repopulate. A high number of people settled in concentrated spaces and interacted freely (Thaler, 2016). On the positive side, it created correlation, cooperation, sharing, and a form of a united society. Biologically there was a healthy lifestyle among people as they ate well, had many other activities to do other than farming or looking for food. Nutrition standards also improved because people had a variety of food to eat and activities to engage in. The technology opened room for economic growth, creating advanced hospitals to treat sickness and diseases.
On the negative side, the Neolithic revolution had some adverse effects too. Overpopulation led to the emergence of infectious diseases that could be transmitted. The outbreaks of cholera and malaria-affected many people quickly. It is highly expected that when people are concentrated in one place, they can easily infect others with common infectious diseases and even sexually transmitted infections (Thaler, 2016). Besides agriculture, the rearing of animals became common. Therefore, other conditions came through animal rearing due to a lack of sufficient medical experience at that time. The diseases quickly spread among people and the entire community. Close quarters between people and animals was inevitable because humans had found ways and learned the usefulness of animals to their loves. With time animals became essential for their survival. They could milk them, use them for transportation, eat them, and use their waste for manure. At this time, humans were not yet smart enough to observe all the hygiene rules. Therefore each time they used animal products, they risked their health and the entire community.