AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY – UNIT 2
Textbook – Chapter 11
1. Agriculture
• The purposeful tending of crops and raising of
livestock in order to produce food and fiber.
2. Hunting and Gathering
• Before agriculture humans were nomadic hunters
and gatherers
• Unable to stay in any one place for a long period
• Had to be constantly moving to the next food source
The Origins of Agriculture
3. Origins: According to Carl Sauer the
leap from hunting and gathering evolved
over thousands of years, in various
places, as humans constantly touched
and handled plants when gathering food.
4. Vegetative Agriculture: Saur believes
that humans first learned how to grow
plants by simply cutting off a stem and
planting it or dividing up the roots of a
plant.
5. Seed Agriculture
Seed Agriculture is farming through planting seeds
rather than simply planting a part of the parent plant
Leads to higher crop yields
The use of seed agriculture would kick off the First
Agricultural Revolution
6. The First Agricultural Revolution
• Occurred over 12,000 years ago
• Also called the Neolithic revolution
• The growth of seed crops like wheat and rice and
the use of animals such as goats and sheep,
replaced hunting and gathering.
• Humans could now stay in one place, grow their
populations and build communities – It is the birth
of civilization.
12,000 years
7. Animal Domestication
• Occurred between 14,000 and 8,000 years ago.
• The first use of both domesticated plants and animals happened
in the fertile crescent of Southwest Asia
• Benefits = source of meat, source of milk, waste fertilized crops
and pulled plows.
• Only 40 of the worlds animal species have been successfully
domesticated
First Agricultural Revolution
8. Agrarian: Relating to cultivated land or the
cultivation of land.
9. Arable: Land used or suitable for growing crops.
10. Staple foods
A staple food is one that is eaten regularly and in
such quantities as to constitute the dominant part
of the diet and supply a major proportion of
energy and nutrient needs. Many staple foods are
grains or staple grains.
11. Root Crops
A crop that is a root vegetable or other root. Edible
portion is grown underground.
12. Agricultural hearths
Area where an agricultural innovation first appeared or
originated.
Six major seed hearths developed during the Neolithic period.
Hearths tended to develop along major rivers.
12a: Western India
Major Crops
Wheat and Barley
Diffusion
To Southwest Asia
Western India
12b: Southwest Asia – Fertile Crescent
Major Crops
Integrated domesticated
animals and plants
Diffusion Route
To Europe
North Africa
And
Northwestern India
Southwest Asia
12c: Northern China
Major Crops
Millet
Diffusion
To South Asia
and
Southeast Asia
Northern China
12d: Ethiopia
Major Crops
Teff
Diffusion
Remained isolated in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
12e: Southern Mexico
Major Crops
Squash and Corn
Diffusion
Throughout Western Hemisphere
Southern Mexico
12f: Northern Peru
Major Crops
Squash, Cotton and Beans
Diffusion
Throughout Western Hemisphere
Northern Peru
Agricultural Hearths
13. Columbian Exchange
• During the late 15th and 16th centuries,
agricultural products were shipped both ways
across Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
• Brought eastern hemisphere crops to the west
and western hemisphere crops to the east
13a. Eastern hemisphere items
• wheat, rice, citrus fruits, melons, horses, cattle, grapes,
bananas, rice, figs, sugar, coconuts, okra, pigs, sheep, goats,
chicken, rabbits, rats
13b. Western hemisphere Items
• beans, squash, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, peanuts, chilis,
chocolate, maize, potatoes, avocados, pineapple, manioc
14. Subsistence Agriculture
• Farmer grows enough food to feed him/herself and
family.
• Low-tech, labor intensive.
• Any excess sold in local markets – low profit.
THREE TYPES OF SUBSISTENCE FARMING
Shifting
Cultivation
14a: Shifting Cultivation
Farmers rotate the fields they cultivate to allow the soil to replenish its nutrients,
rather than farming the same plot over and over again
Not crop rotation – where farmer changes crop type on same plot of land
Shifting cultivation most common in tropical zones with a thin layer of topsoil
- Rainforest regions of Africa, the Amazon in South America and areas
throughout Southeast Asia
14a (i). Slash and Burn Agriculture
The Main type of Shifting Cultivation is
Slash and Burn
Land is cleared by cutting down the
existing plants on the land and then
burning the rest.
Common in tropical areas
14b. Intensive Subsistence Agriculture
Farmers cultivate a small plot of land, very efficiently, to produce food for their
families.
Found in regions that are highly populated – land is relatively scarce.
Widespread through India, China and Southeast Asia
Rice is the primary intensive subsistence agricultural crop
14c: Pastoralism
The breeding and herding of animals to produce food, shelter, and clothing for
survival
May be sedentary or nomadic
Practiced in areas without much arable (farmable) land. Arid regions such as:
North, Central and Southern Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia
15. Swidden
A cleared plot of new farm land.
16. Intertillage
Farmer mixes various seeds on the same plot of
land. Reduces risk of crop failure and provides
more balanced diet
17. Milpa
Temporary field: an agricultural field that is made
by clearing forest and then farmed for only a few
seasons before being abandoned, especially in
Central America and Mexico
Shift in Agriculture – After the fall of
Rome (around 500 CE)
18. Open Lot System: Before 500 CE
farming took place in one large
community plot that a village shared.
19. Enclosure Movement: After 500 CE
individual farmers own their own plots.
20. Agricultural Villages
A village is a
small settlement usually found in
a rural setting. A village has
between 500 and 2,500
inhabitants.
Agricultural villages remain the
predominant form of rural
settlement throughout most of the
world.
In much of North America and
Australia, however, the most
common form of rural settlement
is the isolated farmstead.
20a. Linear Village
Village arranged in or extending along a straight or
nearly straight line. Many follow a transport route,
such as a road, river, or canal, though some form
due to physical restrictions, such coastlines,
mountains, hills or valleys.
20b. Cluster or Nucleated Village
A settlement clustered around a central point, such as a village green or
church.
nucleation is fostered by defense considerations
localized water supply, the incidence of flooding
farmers can easily get to their smaller, productive fields while
continuing to live in the village.
.
20c. Round Village
These villages are usually small, with only a few
farmsteads, averaging around 5-7.
Built around an open central village green, which is a part
of the commons, not allocated to any one particular
farmer.
Common in traditional tribal societies
20d. Walled Village
Village developed in order to protect
villagers from attack.
20e. Grid Village
Modern village type laid out in straight
street patterns that run in parallel and
perpendicular lines
21. Cadastral System or Land Survey
System
System to determine the extent, value, and ownership of
land within a district for taxation. The word comes from
the Latin word cadastre referring to a registry of lands.
Major Cadastral (land survey) Systems used in US.
• Rectangular Survey System
• Metes and Bounds Survey
• Longlot Survey System
21a. Metes and Bound System
A land survey system using natural features (streams, rocks, trees, etc.) to trace
and define boundaries between parcels of land.
Used in Eastern United States – primarily during the colonial era.
21b. Long Lot System
A survey system that creates a long, narrow plot of land that extends back from
a river or road. The lots are typically 10 times longer than they are wide.
Limited use in United States – Was used in areas colonized by the French and
Spanish.
French – Mississippi Valley, Detroit, Louisiana
Spanish – Rio Grande valley of New Mexico and Texas.
21c. Rectangular
Survey System
Also known as Township and Range
System
A more systematic approach used
after US becomes independent
Divided land into six mile squares
called townships. The townships
were than sub-divided into one mile
squares.
Created the square block patterns
seen in county road systems, city
streets and layout of farms and
fields
Used throughout the Midwest and
Western States (everywhere except
east coast)
Township and Range –
The cultural landscape of Garden City, Iowa reflects the
Township and Range system. Townships are 6x6 miles and
section lines are every 1 mile.
Food Inc. QOD
1. Explain what it means when the film states that most food
starts in a corn field in Iowa. Give at least two examples.
2. A single crop like corn, grown in large fields, is an example of monoculture. This
type of agriculture may require large amounts of pesticides. Explain why you think
monoculture is so pesticide dependent compared to a small field with a great
diversity of crops.
3. There has been a noticeable increase in the frequency of food recalls in the last
several years. Describe how both the industrialized food system and the
government regulatory agencies are behind this problem.
4. What were the advantages of the McDonalds restaurant switching to an
assembly-line type operation?
5. Explain how obesity, diabetes, and poverty are linked.
22. The Second Agricultural Revolution
• Coincided with the Industrial Revolution in the 17th
and 18th centuries.
• Massive migration to industrial cities caused huge
jump in demand for food
• New farming technology was invented – new
fertilizers, irrigation systems, storage systems
• More Food = More People
23. Commercial Farming
Commercial farmers produce crops to sell in the marketplace
Types of commercial farming
Mixed crop and Livestock farming
Ranching
Dairying
Large-scale grain production
Plantation
23a. Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming
Growing both crops and
raising animals
Most of the crops are
used to feed the livestock
Most income comes from
selling animal products
Mixed farming exists
widely in Europe and
north America – usually
near large urban areas
where land is not
available for more
extensive farming
23b. Ranching
Commercial grazing –
raising animals on a
plot of land on which
they graze
Requires extensive
land
Practiced in Western
US, Argentina,
Southern Brazil,
and Uruguay
23c. Dairying
Production of milkbased products for the
Marketplace
23c(i). Milkshed - Zone
around a city center
which milk can be
produced and shipped
to the marketplace
without spoiling
23d. Large-Scale Grain Production
Grains are grown to be
exported to other places for
consumption
Wheat is most common large
scale crop
Most common in US, Canada,
Argentina, Australia,
France, England and Ukraine
Dominated by US and Canada
– Growing more than
half the world’s wheat
23e. Plantation Farming
Plantation or estate
that specializes in one
or two high demand
crops for export
Common in tropical
and subtropical zones
Introduced by
European colonizers
Common crops –
coffee, tea, pineapples,
palms, coconuts,
tobacco, sugarcane
and cotton
24. Intensive Agriculture
A method of farming in which as much use is made
of the land as possible by growing crops close
together, growing several crops in a year or using
large amounts of fertilizer. The goal is to get the
most yield possible per acre.
25. Double cropping
Double cropping is a sustainable practice in which more
than one crop is grown and harvested at the same time, on
the same ground.
Double cropping helps to naturally control pests, weeds and
diseases while encouraging healthy soil.
26. Extensive Agriculture
An agricultural production system that uses small inputs of labor,
fertilizers, and capital, relative to the land area being farmed.
Extensive farming most commonly refers to sheep and cattle
farming in areas with low agricultural productivity, but can also
refer to large-scale growing of wheat, barley and other grain
crops
27. Capital Intensive Farms: Uses
a lot of machinery in the farming
process
28. Labor-intensive Farms: Uses
mainly human labor in the farming
process.
29. Von Thunen’s Agricultural Location Theory
Model explains
and predicts
where and
why different
agricultural
activities
would take
place
around a city’s
market place
Von Thunen’s Agricultural Location Theory
Model Basics – A central marketplace is surrounded
by agricultural activity zones that are in concentric
rings.
Each ring represents a different type of agricultural
land use.
Von Thunen’s Agricultural Location Theory
Center = CBD (marketplace)
Ring 1 = Market Gardening and
dairying
Ring 2 = Forestry
Rings 3 = Grains and Field Crops
Ring 4 = Ranching and Livestock
Outside of 4 = Wilderness
30. Market Gardening: A
relatively small-scale production
of fruits, vegetables and flowers as
cash crops, frequently sold directly
to consumers and restaurants.
Von Thunen’s Agricultural Location Theory
BIG IDEA - Moving outward from the
center farming activities change from
intensive to more extensive
31. Bid-Rent Curve
• Predicts and explains real estate prices in an
urban area
• Land in CBD has the highest accessibility and
visibility and will have the highest rent prices
• Land decreases in value moving away from the
CBD
Bid-Rent Curve
QOD
Explain the connection between Von Thunen’s
agricultural model and the bid-rent curve.
HINT – Your answer should include the following
concepts:
intensive agriculture
extensive agriculture
the cost of land
32. The Third Agricultural
Revolution
• Began in the late 1800’s
• Was the globalization of
industrialized farming
• Globalizes the use of
•
•
•
•
Mechanized Farming
Chemical Pesticides
Chemical Fertilizers
Mechanical Irrigation
33. Industrialization of Farming
• Commercial farmers harvest crops and ship them
to be processed, packaged, and distributed.
34. Agribusiness
A term used in agriculture for the various businesses
involved in food production, including farming, seed supply,
agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution,
processing, marketing and retail sales
35. Cash Crops
A crop produced for its commercial value rather
than for use by the grower.
.
36. Luxury Crops
Specialized crops typically not essential to human survival.
Historically grown on plantations by European colonial powers
Examples: tea, coffee, tobacco and cocoa.
37. Factory Farm
a farm in which animals are bred and fattened
using modern industrial methods.
38. Feedlot
An area or building where livestock are fed and
fattened up.
QOD: The Meatrix
• Watch the video – take note of the major
issues/problems of factory farming.
• Choose 3 of those major issues.
• Go to themeatrix.com or similar source of
information. Gather data, examples, etc.
• In your notebook write a one page essay on the
three major issues of factory farming.
39. MonoCulture
The cultivation of a single crop in a given area.
40. Deserttification
The process by which
fertile land becomes
desert, typically as a
result of drought,
deforestation, or
inappropriate
agriculture.
42. Food Desert
An urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or
good-quality fresh food.
Many poor people live in food deserts—where they have
plenty of food but none of it healthy.
"
42. Biotechnology
The application of scientific techniques to modify
and improve plants and animals to enhance their
value. Examples: GMO’s and Cloning
43. Green Revolution
The invention and rapid diffusion of new agricultural techniques during
the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Began as agricultural experiments funded by US charities to improve
Mexico’s wheat grain production and reduce hunger in developing
countries
Introduced new higher yield seeds and expanded the use of fertilizers
and pesticides.
The so called “miracle seeds” increased agricultural production faster
than population growth.
Green Revolution
What are the problems and issues?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=0xvyRd-uVqM
1.
Heavy reliance on fossil fuels
2.
Farmers in developing countries cannot afford seeds, fertilizers, pesticides
and machinery.
3.
Modern farming techniques may destroy the environment – for example
increasing soil erosion.
4.
Technology is controlled by Agribusiness – motive is profit not necessarily
to increase food production for those that need it the most.
The Next Revolution?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6GimGZz6a8&feature=player_detailpage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6GimGZz6a8&feature=player
_detailpage
44. Organic Agriculture
Growing food naturally.
Avoids the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers and
genetically modified organisms.
45. Truck Farm
Agricultural practice of growing one or more vegetable crops
on a large scale for shipment to distant markets.
At first this type of farming “trucked” produce to local or
regional markets.
Railroads, air transport and refrigerated carriers have greatly
increased shipping to distant markets.
Major truck-farming areas are in California, Texas, Florida.
Most important truck crops are tomatoes, lettuce, melons,
beets, broccoli, celery, radishes, onions, cabbage, and
strawberries.
46. Mediterranean Agriculture
A form of specialized agriculture that is known for
producing grapes, olives, citrus and figs
Crops require a warm year-round climate