Transitions From Hunter-Gatherer To Pastoralist Society

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As societies develop, many changes occur that help the progression of a better civilization. While some changes are subtle, others are incredibly dramatic and alter the course of human history. Few changes of this significance have occurred and one of these more notable changes appeared in the era of the Hunter-Gathers. The drastic changes from a Hunter-Gatherer society to an Agriculturalist or Pastoralist civilization are some of the most radical alterations in societal development on earth.

First, the shift from a Hunter-Gatherer society to an agriculturalist civilization was tremendous. The innovation of various occupations, government, and gender roles all stemmed from the adaptation of agriculture. As food sources became more stable and in a central location, people could now focus on other occupations rather than simply looking for food. From this shift, many more occupations began which included sculptures, artists, carpenters and much more. This also allowed for more advanced infrastructure in their cities. In more advanced cities such as Harappan civilizations plumbing even emerged. In addition to different jobs, government formed as well. Many Agriculturalist civilizations had governments with set governing rules. Compared to today’s society their rules were much more punitive and retaliatory. Men also had a much higher positions. Another change that happened was the transference into gender roles. Whereas in Hunter-Gatherer society men and women were considered equal and both had similar roles. When agriculture began, women could now have more children when they could remain in one place. This led to women staying home and caring for their families more, which in turn allowed men to work out of the house and also cr...

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...ing groups for food. Pastoralists however had to compete with other nomadic or farmer groups for the best areas for their food. In this conflict, the Pastoralists developed warfare in order to best compete and fight for their food. One final variance between the two groups was the larger development in art for agriculturalist societies. With large amounts of trade and larger advances in technology and art, the agriculturalists excelled. Their art and technology was much more advanced than that of the pastoralists.

The alterations and differences from a Hunter-Gatherer society to a Pastoralist or Agriculturalist civilization were some of the most prominent changes in human history. These variations in society allowed for some of the most significant outcomes in the Hunter-Gatherer era and all were beneficiary towards the progression of better civilizations.

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