A significant transformation in human history characterized by the widespread adoption of settled agriculture and the domestication of plants and animals. This transition marked a shift from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to sedentary agricultural societies. For example, the Neolithic Revolution, beginning around 10,000 BCE, saw humans in various parts of the world independently discover and implement agricultural techniques, leading to the development of the earliest agricultural societies.
This pivotal development resulted in increased food production and a more reliable food supply, supporting larger populations and leading to the establishment of permanent settlements. Surpluses of food and other resources facilitated specialization of labor, social stratification, and the emergence of complex societies with established political and religious institutions. The rise of civilizations, with their characteristic cities, writing systems, and monumental architecture, directly stemmed from the stability and resource abundance afforded by settled agriculture.