HISTORY OF FOOD | ANSWER KEY SAMPLE TIMELINE 150,000–11,000 BCE: Pre-agriculture 6000–3000 BCE: Dawn of early civilizations 1600s–1800s: Global agricultural evolution Early humans acquired food by hunting wild Agriculture provided more calories per acre and Food plants imported from the Americas spread animals and gathering from wild plants. tied people to places. across the globe; improved nutrition helped Diets were high in fruits, vegetables, lean protein Densely populated settlements evolved into reduce disease. and healthy fats. towns, then cities. Refrigerated transport, improved processing and preservation techniques and growing distribution People may have lived into their 70s. People become free to pursue interests other than farming. networks allowed farmers to ship their surplus There were no signs of the diet-related chronic goods over greater distances. illnesses that are common today. The rise of political elites created social inequalities. Favorable climate and fertile soils allowed American farmers to produce enough surplus grain, and eventually meat, to supply much of Europe. 150 ,000 BCE 11 ,000 9000 7000 5000 3000 1000 BCE 1000 CE Prehistory Before Common Era Common Era 11,000–5000 BCE: 6000 BCE–present: Cycles of boom and bust 1800s–present: Global transition to agriculture Industrialization of the U.S. food system Increases in food production competed against population 11,000 BCE: Agriculture appeared in the growth, resource degradation, changing climate, droughts, Early 1900s: Synthetic fertilizer was invented. Fertile Crescent. and other drivers of famine. Farmers became more dependent on chemical 6000 BCE: Most farm animals had become The decline of Sumer, Greece, Rome and other ancient and fossil fuel inputs. domesticated. civilizations was aided by a decline in soil fertility; plowing Diversity was abandoned in favor of was a major contributor. 5000 BCE: Agriculture was practiced in every specialized, simplified, routine, mechanized, continent except Australia. This transition may 17th century: European farmers increased crop yields by standardized and consolidated operations. have been motivated by changing climate, promoting use of animal manure, crop rotations and cover Businesses increased production with less increased population density and innovations crops; the growing food supply parallels growth in labor; hidden health, social, environmental in food harvesting/processing. population; large segments remained malnourished. costs ensued. 1798: Malthus warned of overpopulation, global famine. Food industries became more concentrated. TEACHING THE FOOD SYSTEM | A PROJECT OF THE JOHNS HOPKINS CENTER FOR A LIVABLE FUTURE HISTORY OF FOOD | ANSWER KEY SAMPLE POPULATION GRAPH 6 billion 5 billion 4 billion 3 billion 2 billion 1 billion 150 ,000 BCE 11 ,000 9000 7000 5000 3000 1000 BCE 1000 CE Prehistory Before Common Era Common Era TEACHING THE FOOD SYSTEM | A PROJECT OF THE JOHNS HOPKINS CENTER FOR A LIVABLE FUTURE .