Agriculture,+Ancient

Ancient Agriculture Michael Woods and Mary B. Woods Minneapolis : Runestone Press, c2000 Call Number: 630 WOO

**__Summary/Description__: This book** **discusses different agricultural advancements in ancient times. Various cultures are included such as the Stone Age, China, Egypt, Mesoamerica, Greece and Rome. It shows the development of all different types of agricultural that led up to what we have now. All of these cultures have contributed to all of the methods of farming that we have learned today. There were many techniques that were use to give these people such great results for their time. The plants were not the only things that were important to their success, the animals play greatly into this. They domesticated many types of animals that made everything easier for farming. These animals could do jobs that were difficult for humans to do** such as pull plows and they could also fertilize the fields making better planting conditions.

__**Beyond the Book**__: Go beyond the book by exploring these recommended web resources:
 * [|Coming of Farming]-This website explains the world before farming and the development of farming. Starting at 10,000 BC, it explains the origins in farming and the advancements that came later in time. Farming soon spread fast and soon most people where farmers. This became a normal thing that everyone had to do for survival. Farming changed everything in history and we still us the techniques use back then.
 * [|Egyptian Agriculture]- This website is specifically about the agriculture of ancient Egypt. It explains some of the techniques used by these farmers, like irrigation and ploughing. You will also learn about the tools they used to farm and some of the important crops that they planted.
 * [|Greek Agriculture] This site explains where this farming was done and the conditions of the land. You will learn the strategies of the ancient Greeks use for their successful lives of farming. The crops that were planted and the methods for the most successful growth. The humans and animals alike were the main source of their agricultural success.
 * [|Chinese Agriculture] China was particularly known for their strange farming techniques such as rice patties. You will learn that China's economy depended on their agriculture and especially the wet rice agriculture. Agriculture in China began with classical millet agriculture that has developed into a widely know tradition. There is evidence of extensive irrigation canals in North China allowing them to grow a wide variety of crops.
 * [|Stone Age Agriculture] The first people were just hunters and gatherers but through evolution they began to produce food, beginning agriculture. You will learn about some of the first farming equipment like the plow. The first plows were made of wood and were hard to manage. Eventually they use large mammals like ox to pull the plows.
 * [|Mesoamerica Agriculture] All of the Mesoamerican civilizations had an important life of agriculture but the Mayans received the most attention. You will learn of the problems they had to overcome like the very poor soil they had to deal with. They domesticated many types of plants such as maize, beans, and gourds. There were also many ways they preserved their soil for a long time. They were also known for the many ways they would prepare these plants they grow.