Which of the following statements about the Agricultural Age is true? The transi
ID: 637473 • Letter: W
Question
Which of the following statements about the Agricultural Age is true?
The transition from Stone Age to Agricultural Age was characterized by changes in lifestyle from hunter-gatherer to farmers and resulted in increased life expectancy as the social structures of ancient civilizations such as the Sumerians, Greeks, and Romans provided stability and steady farm production.
The Agricultural Age is characterized by great income inequality and explosive population growth.
During the Agricultural Age income inequality and social stratification meant that farmers worked longer (compared to the Stone Age) hours to produce enough food to support themselves.
Demographic Transition during the Agricultural Age means that high infant and child mortality is usually accompanied by high birth rates and population increases occur.
The key theoretical contribution of The Malthusian Hypothesis is that droughts and war cause the decreases in farm productivity. This leads to increased mortality from starvation and naturally keeps the population from growing faster than the pace of technological progress.
The transition from Stone Age to Agricultural Age was characterized by changes in lifestyle from hunter-gatherer to farmers and resulted in increased life expectancy as the social structures of ancient civilizations such as the Sumerians, Greeks, and Romans provided stability and steady farm production.
The Agricultural Age is characterized by great income inequality and explosive population growth.
During the Agricultural Age income inequality and social stratification meant that farmers worked longer (compared to the Stone Age) hours to produce enough food to support themselves.
Demographic Transition during the Agricultural Age means that high infant and child mortality is usually accompanied by high birth rates and population increases occur.
The key theoretical contribution of The Malthusian Hypothesis is that droughts and war cause the decreases in farm productivity. This leads to increased mortality from starvation and naturally keeps the population from growing faster than the pace of technological progress.
Explanation / Answer
1. False
It is true that the transition from stone age to agricultural age was characterized by changes in life style from hunter gatherer to farmers. But it was not that much progressive. The advantage was that through agriculture large surplus of food was produced which could support large populations. So small packs of hunter gatherers who were always on the move turned into large groups of settelers. It gave rise to village socities and civilizations. But the nutritional standards of the agricultural populations were inferior to that of hunter gatherers. Ethonological and archaeological studies shows that this diet transition to cereal based food led to reduction in life expectency, increase in infant mortality, increase of infectious diseases etc.
2. True
The increased food production from agriculture supported large populations. This put forth a need for development of different means of decision making. Governmental organizations were formed. Thus a social elite developed who were not otherwise engaged in any physical activities other than governance. They controlled the whole society. Thus came inequality in wealth distribution.
3. True
The hunter gatherer can leave his cave in the morning in search of food. He could collect mushrooms sprouted in the last night's thunderstorm or could kill some goats or rabbits, or climb up trees to gather fruits and of-course could run away at the sight of predators like tigers. And then by afternoon he was back home. Lots of time left to cook, tell stories, play around and do whatever he/she likes. But agriculture is a time consuming business. You must tend to your crops with outmost care and love, whole day long, may be even at nights. A draught or flood could wipe out everything you built over months. So it was time consuming. More than that the new social elite who controlled the governance of the society could demand increased production. This also put the workers under additional labour.
4. True
The general view is that among hunter gatherers, mortality was moderate and fertility relatively low. With the transition to agriculture both fertility and mortality increased. The exact dynamics of mortality and fertility during the transition is unknown. But we know that populations increased. So at some point fertility must have exceeded mortality. That is, high infant and child mortality accompanied by high birth rates resulted in population growth.
5. True
According to malthus, there are two types of checks which cn reduce the rate of population growth. They are (1) Things that may shorten the average lifespan, which includes disease, warfare, draughts, etc. (2) Voluantary actions people can take to avoid contributing to population such as birth control.
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