Printable ScholarThe Neolithic Revolution: Causes and Results
The Neolithic Revolution was the change from hunting and gathering to farming. It began in the Fertile Crescent of Southwest Asia about 9500 BC and happened on its own in several other places, such as China, Mexico, New Guinea and the Andes. It took thousands of years, and scientists still debate why it began. This free sheet sets out five dated causes, the turning point and three results for students to explain, with two questions.
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The Neolithic Revolution: causes, turning point and results
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The Neolithic Revolution
Five dated causes, the turning point about 9500 BC and three results to explain, with two questions.
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Answer key
Model answers for every box and both questions (this key page also holds the Paleolithic vs. Neolithic key).
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Why farming began
The Ice Age ended
About 11,700 years ago the world grew warmer and wetter, and wild wheat and barley grew thickly in the Fertile Crescent.
People settled first
The Natufians gathered so much wild grain that they lived in villages all year, even before they farmed.
More mouths to feed
As villages grew, wild food nearby was not enough, so planting crops and herding animals gave more food from the same land.
Results
Villages and towns, stored surplus food, new jobs and trade, and new problems: harder work, crowding and disease. Later came the first cities and writing.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called a revolution if it took thousands of years?
Because it changed almost everything about how people lived: what they ate, where they lived, how many people there were and what jobs they did.
Where did farming begin?
First in the Fertile Crescent of Southwest Asia, about 9500 BC. People also began farming on their own in China (rice and millet), Mexico (squash and maize), New Guinea, the Andes (potatoes) and Africa (sorghum).
Was farming better than hunting and gathering?
Both had good and bad sides. Farming fed more people and let them settle, but early farmers often worked harder and had more tooth decay and disease than hunter-gatherers.