AP World History : Agriculture from Prehistory to 600 BCE

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP World History

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Agriculture

Which of these would you be least likely to find in an agrarian society?

Possible Answers:

Economic dependence on crops 

Cities

Domestication of animals 

Nomadic lifestyles

Sedentary family units

Correct answer:

Nomadic lifestyles

Explanation:

Agrarian societies came as a result of the development of agriculture. People abandoned nomadic tendencies and settled down to form cities of family units. It allowed people to grow their own food, and no longer be forced to hunt constantly. You could have solved this problem, even if you were not specifically aware of the answer, through logic: agrarian practices require cultivation and maintenance of land over a growing season, nomadic lifestyles fundamentally rule that process out.

Example Question #1 : Agriculture

The Neolithic agricultural revolution directly led to all of the following except ___________.

Possible Answers:

A more sedentary lifestyle centered in towns and villages

An increasingly large population

The nation-state

A food surplus

Economic specialization

Correct answer:

The nation-state

Explanation:

The Neolithic agricultural revolution did entail political changes in human society, but the nation-state concept did not arise for another  years. 

Whereas prior human generations lived nomadic lifestyles, agriculture requires permanent settlements. The burgeoning human population, the result of a food surplus, settled into towns and villages where a segment of the population did not cultivate plants or animals but rather worked as artisans in a process of economic specialization.

Example Question #3 : Agriculture

The main difference between the paleolithic and neolithic periods, originating in Mesopotamia but quickly spreading to Egypt and beyond, __________________.

Possible Answers:

was the domestication of wheat, barley, sheep, goats, and dogs

was the advent of writing

was the domestication of horses and oxen

was the domestication of wheat and barley but no animals

was the domestication of large carnivores, such as lions, for protection

Correct answer:

was the domestication of wheat, barley, sheep, goats, and dogs

Explanation:

The main difference between the paleolithic and neolithic periods, originating in Mesopotamia but quickly spreading to Egypt and beyond was the domestication of wheat, barley, sheep, goats, and dogs. Not only did this lead to a food surplus in many communities, but it required settled societies rather than migrating bands of humans.

Both agriculture, and animal husbandry, mark the difference between the paleolithic and neolithic.

The advent of writing marks the difference between history and prehistory, not the paleolithic and neolithic.

Horses and oxen are larger, more powerful animals and were not domesticated until later.

Large carnivores, such as lions, are not easily domesticated; they're expensive, requiring huge amounts of meat per day, and remain highly dangerous to their owners even years after being domesticated, and even if they've been born in captivity.

Example Question #2 : Agriculture

The Paleolithic Era was characterized by all of the following except ______________.

Possible Answers:

the domestication of animals

the use of wood tools

the manipulation of fire

the use of stone tools

the invention of language

Correct answer:

the domestication of animals

Explanation:

The Paleolithic Era refers to the history of humanity before the Agricultural Revolution. Humans in Paleolithic societies used stone and wood tools, manipulated fire, and spoke to one another in rudimentary languages. The domestication of animals, however, did not take place until the Neolithic (Agricultural) Revolution.

Example Question #3 : Agriculture From Prehistory To 600 Bce

When did the Neolithic Revolution take place?

Possible Answers:

10,000 years ago

2,000 years ago

100,000 years ago

5,000 years ago

2,500,000 years ago

Correct answer:

10,000 years ago

Explanation:

The Neolithic Revolution is another name for the Agricultural Revolution. The Neolithic Revolution is perhaps the greatest and most important shift in human history. It led to the development and growth of agriculture, the establishment of permanent settlements, and the emergence of cities. It took place approximately 10,000 years ago.

Example Question #4 : Agriculture From Prehistory To 600 Bce

The Neolithic Revolution led to which of the following?

Possible Answers:

The development of writing

A surplus of food

The development of cities

The emergence of politics and social hierarchies

All of these answers are correct

Correct answer:

All of these answers are correct

Explanation:

The Neolithic Revolution is another name for the Agricultural Revolution - when humans first established permanent agricultural settlements. It led to a surplus of food, which in turn allowed some individuals to pursue artistic or cultural work. It also led to the development of cities and of an organized writing system. Finally, it led to the emergence of political and social hierarchies as some people accumulated wealth and power.

Example Question #1 : Agriculture

The domestication of the water buffalo was vital to the growth of __________.

Possible Answers:

China and central Asia

India and southeast Asia

Japan and Korea

The Middle East and North Africa

Western Europe and North America

Correct answer:

India and southeast Asia

Explanation:

The domestication of the ox, in many parts of the world, was a significant development. The strength of oxen allowed farmers to work the fields more effectively and provided a massive boost to the productive capabilities of society. In India and southeast Asia, the water buffalo was domesticated for the same purposes.

Example Question #2 : Agriculture

Wheat and barley, vital crops for sustaining the human population, first spread around the world from their origin in __________.

Possible Answers:

Western Europe

South Africa

South Asia

North America

the Middle East

Correct answer:

the Middle East

Explanation:

There are a few staple crops that have been especially vital to the growth of the human population - wheat, barley, rice, potatoes, maize, yams, bananas, beans. Each of these crops first originated in a particular part of the world and then, through human influence, spread around the world. Wheat and barley were first grown in the Middle East during and after the Neolithic Revolution.

Example Question #1 : Agriculture

Camels were first domesticated in __________.

Possible Answers:

Morocco

India

China

Arabia

Mali

Correct answer:

Arabia

Explanation:

Camels were first domesticated in Arabia approximately four thousand years ago. The domestication of camels has been vital to the development of the Middle East. Camels are particularly useful for carrying cargo over long distances due to their ability to survive in the desert. Camel caravans have been an important part of Middle Eastern Empires since the Persians.

Example Question #3 : Agriculture

Which of these is the best generalization of the benefits people gained from learning to use fire?

Possible Answers:

Fire allowed for the first utilizations of metals

Fire changed gender roles

Fire improved early humans' diets

Fire made domesticating animals easier

Correct answer:

Fire improved early humans' diets

Explanation:

Fire improved the diet of early humans. It allowed humans to cook meat as opposed to eating it raw, which killed dangerous bacteria that would have otherwise been present in the food. Fire also allowed humans to cook dry meat to preserve, creating a surplus of food that did not previously exist. Humans could also use fire to clear fields and improve fertility of land, allowing them to harvest more crops.

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