The Big History of Civilizations - Origins of Agriculture

Explore the origins of agriculture and the transition from foraging to farming in this 31-minute video lecture from The Great Courses. Delve into the unique Big History approach, which zooms out to examine larger trends in human development. Discover how climate patterns and geography influenced the shift to agricultural societies, and learn about key archaeological sites like Ohalo II that provide evidence of early domestication. Examine the consequences of sedentary lifestyles, including population growth and the development of more complex social structures. Investigate methods for increasing land productivity and the long-term impacts of the agricultural revolution on human civilization. Gain insights into the "Goldilocks factors" that contributed to the success of early civilizations, from cosmic and planetary scales to ecological and human levels.

Transition From Foraging to Farming
How Foraging and Farming Differ
Remains of Ohalo II and Domestication
Climate Change Facilitates Transition to Farming
Humans Adopt Less Nomadic Lifestyles
The Trap of Sedentism and Its Consequences
Ways of Increasing Productivity for Land
Evidence of Transition to Farming