Chapter 1: The Origins of Food

Key Knowledge:
 the factors influencing the emergence of different food systems, food products and
food practices around the world

Ancient Hunter-gatherer Societies

Define the term Hunter-gatherer

Hunter-gatherer is the term used to describe humans who obtain their
___________________________________________________________________________
food from nature, hunting animals and gathering wild plants.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

What are the features of a hunter-gatherer community?

Hunter-gatherers depended entirely on natural food sources and lived a nomadic
___________________________________________________________________________
lifestyle, moving when local food supplies ran out. They formed small groups based on
___________________________________________________________________________
kinship or tribes and lived cooperatively without a specific leader. Women spaced births
___________________________________________________________________________
by breastfeeding children for at least four years, as they could only carry one baby at a
___________________________________________________________________________
time due to the frequent movement in search of food.
___________________________________________________________________________

What types of food are available to them?

Meat from hunting big game or trapping smaller animals.
___________________________________________________________________________
Fish obtained through fishing in lakes, rivers, or along the coast.
___________________________________________________________________________
Fruits, roots, nuts, and seeds collected from the local vegetation.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

What challenges do hunter-gatherer communities face?

Hunter-gatherer communities faced challenges including:
___________________________________________________________________________
-___________________________________________________________________________
Climate Change: Sudden shifts in climate led to food shortages, especially during droughts.
-___________________________________________________________________________
Decline of Prey: Preferred prey species dwindled due to disappearing grazing lands.
-___________________________________________________________________________
Population Control: Communities regulated population to match available food resources.
-___________________________________________________________________________
Settlement and Growth: As communities settled, population increased, straining food sources
and landscapes.
Mbuti Pygmies

Where do they come from?

The Mbuti people are indigenous hunter-gatherers who reside in the Congo rainforests of
___________________________________________________________________________
Africa, particularly in the Ituri Forest, spanning about 70,000 square kilometers in the
___________________________________________________________________________
Democratic Republic of the Congo. With a population of approximately 40,000, they are
___________________________________________________________________________
one of the oldest indigenous cultures in the region.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
 What is the lifestyle of the Mbuti Pygmies?
They move to different camps during the dry season to maximize foraging opportunities as
___________________________________________________________________________
their diet relies on various forest resources like animals (crabs, shellfish, monkeys, etc.) and
___________________________________________________________________________
plants (wild yams, mushrooms, etc.). Both men and women gather food, with women also
___________________________________________________________________________
crafting tools.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

How do they obtain their food?

While historically they hunted large animals using nets and spears, modern restrictions
___________________________________________________________________________
limit them to hunting smaller game with bows and arrows. Their society values equality,
___________________________________________________________________________
with men and women sharing power and responsibilities, including childcare and food
___________________________________________________________________________
procurement.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

The Sami

Where do they come from?

The Sami are indigenous people living in the far northern Arctic and subarctic region of
___________________________________________________________________________
Europe, across Norway,Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Their traditional homeland, Sápmi,
___________________________________________________________________________
is a treeless tundra characterized by permanently frozen subsoil.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

What is the lifestyle of the Sami?

The Sami have inhabited far northern Europe for over 10,000 years. They traditionally led
___________________________________________________________________________
a___________________________________________________________________________
semi-nomadic lifestyle, relying mainly on meat with berries and herbs. They lived in
peat-covered huts in winter and reindeer-hide tents in summer. Sami society revolves
___________________________________________________________________________
around family groups living in "siidas," collaborating on hunting and fishing. Siidas
___________________________________________________________________________
regulate territories and resolve conflicts through a council
___________________________________________________________________________

How do they obtain their food?

The ___________________________________________________________________________
Sami people obtain food primarily through hunting, fishing, and foraging in the harsh Arctic
and ___________________________________________________________________________
subarctic climates. During spring and summer, they gather plants, berries, and herbs, fish for
salmon and trout, and hunt migrating reindeer. They preserve fish and meat for winter by salting,
___________________________________________________________________________
smoking, or souring. Edible plants like blueberries, lingonberries, and mountain sorrel, rich in
___________________________________________________________________________
vitamins, supplement their diet. They also utilize angelica, adding it to reindeer milk to make
___________________________________________________________________________
fermented porridge for winter storage.
What role does hunting and fishing play in the life of the Sami?
Hunting and fishing are essential to the Sami way of life. Reindeer provide vital milk, meat,
___________________________________________________________________________
and transportation. Early Sami hunted wild reindeer with traps, later becoming "reindeer
___________________________________________________________________________
nomads" herding domesticated reindeer. They also fish for salmon and trout and trap beavers.
___________________________________________________________________________
Specialized knives are used for various tasks, underscoring the importance of hunting and
___________________________________________________________________________
fishing in their culture.
___________________________________________________________________________
 Early development of Agricultural Food Systems

Define Domestication
The process of selectively breeding wild plants and animals to make them more
___________________________________________________________________________
useful to humans. This involves controlling their reproduction and adapting them to
___________________________________________________________________________
human environments and needs.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Define sedentary hunter-gatherer communities

Groups of people who settle in one place near a rich food resource, transitioning from
___________________________________________________________________________
a nomadic lifestyle to living in permanent or semi-permanent settlements.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

How has climate change impacted on agricultural-based settlement?

___________________________________________________________________________
Climate change impacts agricultural-based settlements by altering growing patterns,
___________________________________________________________________________
water availability, and increasing the frequency of extreme weather events. Changes in
___________________________________________________________________________
precipitation can lead to droughts or floods, affecting crop productivity. Warmer
temperatures may also lead to increased pests and diseases, while sea-level rise
___________________________________________________________________________
threatens coastal farmland. Overall, climate change necessitates adaptation strategies to
___________________________________________________________________________
maintain food security and sustainability in agricultural systems.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Define cultivate
To deliberately sow and tend crops on nearby land. This involves preparing the soil,
___________________________________________________________________________
planting seeds, and caring for the growing plants to ensure a successful harvest.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

What was the impact of the domestication of animals?

- Food Source: Domesticated animals supplied meat, milk, cheese, and butter, increasing food security for
___________________________________________________________________________
settlements.
___________________________________________________________________________
- Labor Aid: Animals like oxen assisted with agricultural tasks such as plowing fields, reducing human labor
___________________________________________________________________________
and boosting productivity.
___________________________________________________________________________
- Materials: Animal skins were used for clothing, wool for textiles, and leather for various purposes.
___________________________________________________________________________
- Transport: Domesticated animals served as transportation, facilitating trade and communication.
What was the impact of the development of agriculture?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
In Mesopotamia, the transition from hunter-gatherer to settled agricultural communities led to the
___________________________________________________________________________
establishment of village settlements and the development of agricultural food systems. The cultivation
___________________________________________________________________________
of grains and domestication of animals provided a stable food supply, fostering population growth and
societal complexity. In Mesoamerica, the cultivation and domestication of wild plants allowed nomadic
hunter-gatherers to become sedentary settlers, enabling them to store surplus food and adapt to
environmental fluctuations such as droughts. While both regions experienced agricultural development,
there were differences in the domestication process, with Mesopotamia focusing on both plants and
animals, while Mesoamerica primarily domesticated plants.
 Factors that Facilitated the development of agriculture

How did they benefit from access to water and the development of irrigation systems
___________________________________________________________________________
In Mesopotamia, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers provided a reliable water source for crops, allowing farmers to
___________________________________________________________________________
grow wheat, barley, and other crops in fertile floodplains. Sumerian farmers developed extensive irrigation canals
and waterways to effectively manage water distribution, maximizing agricultural productivity and supporting the
___________________________________________________________________________
growth ___________________________________________________________________________
of civilization. Similarly, in Mesoamerica, Mayan farmers utilized raised beds along river edges and
floodplains, as well as innovative techniques like pet kot orchard gardens and chinampas floating plots, to harness
___________________________________________________________________________
water resources for cultivation. These irrigation methods ensured food security and supported settled communities.
Define chinampas
Chinampas are Mesoamerican agricultural plots, typically artificial islands or raised
___________________________________________________________________________
beds, used for intensive cultivation of crops in wetland areas like the Valley of Mexico.
___________________________________________________________________________
They were highly productive and contributed significantly to the food supply of
___________________________________________________________________________
civilizations like the Aztecs.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Define swidden farming

Swidden farming, also referred to as slash-and-burn agriculture, is an agricultural method
___________________________________________________________________________
involving slashing and burning vegetation in a forested area. This practice creates fields for
___________________________________________________________________________
cultivation, with crops planted in the nutrient-rich ashes that remain on the forest floor. The
___________________________________________________________________________
soil remains fertile for a few years, after which farmers relocate, allowing the previously
___________________________________________________________________________
cultivated land to revert to forest. New areas are then cleared for subsequent crops.
___________________________________________________________________________

What is terraced farming?

Terraced farming involves building stepped fields on sloping terrain, creating flat
___________________________________________________________________________
surfaces for cultivation. In Mesoamerica, Aztec farmers used this technique to grow
___________________________________________________________________________
crops like maize on mountain slopes by constructing retaining walls filled with soil.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

How did they benefit from the development of farming tools?

___________________________________________________________________________
The development of farming tools, such as ploughs and digging sticks, greatly improved agricultural
efficiency for ancient societies like the Sumerians and Mesoamerican farmers.These tools allowed for easier
___________________________________________________________________________
preparation of fields, planting of seeds, and harvesting of crops. For the Sumerians, ploughs made from clay,
___________________________________________________________________________
stone, and timber facilitated cultivation, while Mesoamerican farmers utilized sharp-bladed digging sticks
___________________________________________________________________________
called uictlii for planting and weeding. These advancements enhanced crop yields and productivity,
___________________________________________________________________________
enabling farmers to work the land effectively without relying on heavy machinery or draft animals.
What types of food was available to early agricultural communities?
___________________________________________________________________________
Early agricultural communities in Mesoamerica relied on staple crops like maize, squash, and
beans, ___________________________________________________________________________
known as the "three sisters," for essential carbohydrates and proteins. Fruit trees such as
cacao ___________________________________________________________________________
provided additional nutrition and cultural significance, with cacao beans becoming
valuable trade commodities. In Mesopotamia, barley, wheat, lentils, and oats were extensively
___________________________________________________________________________
cultivated, alongside date palms for fruit and shade. Gardens yielded peas, beans, cucumbers,
___________________________________________________________________________
grapes, and figs, enriching the diet of early agricultural societies.
Complete Understanding the Text Questions
Pg 9 Q 1-10
Pg 15 Q 11-20