A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

Around 12,000 years ago, there were major changes in the climate of the world, with a shift to relatively warm conditions. In many areas, this led to the development of grasslands. This, in turn, led to an increase in the number of deer, antelope, goat, sheep, and cattle, i.e. animals that survived on the grass.

Those who hunted these animals now followed them, learning about their food habits and their breeding seasons. It is likely that this helped people to start thinking about the herding and rearing these animals themselves. Fishing also became important.

Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK

START OF FARMING AND HERDING

START OF FARMING AND HERDING

This was also a time when several grain bearing grasses, including wheat, barley, and rice grew naturally in different parts of the subcontinent. Men, women, and children probably collected these grains as food and learnt where they grew, and when they ripened. This may have led them to think about growing plants on their own. In this way people became farmers.

People could also attract and then tame animals by leaving food for them near their shelters. The first animal to be tamed was the wild ancestor of the dog. Later, people encouraged animals that were relatively gentle to come near the camps where they lived. These animals such as sheep, goat, cattle, and also the pig lived in herds, and most of them ate grass. Often, people protected these animals from attacks by other wild animals. This is how they became herders.

Can you think of any reasons why the dog was perhaps the first animal to be tamed?

Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK

DOMESTICATION

DOMESTICATION

Beginnings of domestication (about 12,000 years ago).

Domestication is the name given to the process in which people grow plants and look after animals. Very often, plants and animals that are tended by people become different from wild plants and animals. This is because people select plants and animals for domestication. For example, they select those plants and animals that are not prone to disease. They also select plants that yield large-size grain and have strong stalks, capable of bearing the weight of the ripe grain.

Seeds from selected plants are preserved and sown to ensure that new plants (and seeds) will have the same qualities.

Amongst animals, those that are relatively gentle are selected for breeding. As a result, gradually, domesticated animals and plants become different from wild animals and plants. For example, the teeth and horns of wild animals are usually much larger than those of domesticated animals.

Look at these two sets of teeth. Which do you think belongs to a wild pig and which to a domesticated one?

Domestication was a gradual process that took place in many parts of the world. It began about 12,000 years ago. Virtually all the plant and animal produce that we use as food today is a result of domestication. Some of the earliest plants to be domesticated were wheat and barley. The earliest domesticated animals include sheep and goat.

Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK