SUBSISTENCE AND ECONOMY

Part 1

Identify the benefits of both subsistence patterns.
With hunting and gathering the benefits consist of being able to move from place to place where food was plentiful and not having to worry about lots of belongings. They didnt have to worry about growing their own foods because they foraged and ate what was in the area. They lived in small groups where food last longer and they had lots of down time so that they were able to bond with their families. With the men hunting they didnt have to raise their own livestock and have to worry about providing food for the animals also. And because of them living in small groups they were able to share food with one another.
With agriculture the benefits where being able to live in one place and creating their own society. They got to live off the land and grow as much food as they wanted so there was never really a scare of starvation. In agriculture there had to be someone working the fields everyday and while others had down time they made utensils and pottery and some even used their time to try and invent different things to make live easier.
Identify the cost of both subsistence patterns.
Some of the disadvantages of hunting and gathering are because they have to move place to place where food is plentiful they can just settle down and focus on their families and having a stable home. The men that go on hunts sometimes have to walk for miles just to find a herd and sometimes they wont even come home with a kill. The women have to care for the children and gather fruits and vegetables for the group caring both the food and the kids . The hunters and gatherers also couldnt have an surplus of food because they lacked storage and were always on the move.
 The disadvantages of agriculture consists of; having to tend to the land everyday there was a lack of time to be spent with the family and having to work your land everday was a very hard and difficult job. Although a farmer grows food for his family and can use his crops for trade or value a farmer really didnt have any power in the society. With farming sometimes lands become less nutrishous to grow certain crops and can cause a famen.
Which subsistence pattern provides a healthier diet?
In my opinion the both diets are healthy in their own way but if I had to choose I would go with agriculture. I chose agriculture because unlike foragers the farmer and his family have a consistent diet of fruits and veggies that he grow his own. The agriculture diet only changes with the season when certain crops grow or when certain livestock are plentiful. In my opinion the foragers have to have a hardy stomach due to them moving around in different territories where different crops and animals are each time. The foragers stomach doesnt really get used to certain foods because they have so many different animals to hunt and fruits and vegetables to pick. Some times hunters and gatherers dont even get to eat meat because of a hunt that wasnt successfull.
Discuss why you think some human population made the transition into agriculture?
I belief some human populations have transitioned into agriculture because when having land, crops, and livestock they have something of value to trade. Also being a farmer you cant be a nomad you have to stay in one place and work your land. With being able to reside in one area you can settle down and raise a family and also feed your family and not really have to worry about where the next meal is coming from unless there is a drought. There is no need to hunt because your meat is in the barn waiting to be butchered. When in agriculture you have a surplus of food and can give some away to make ties with other families or store food.

Part 2

There is a direct relationship between the availability of surplus and the ability to trade. Explain the meaning of this statement.
The relationship between the availability of surplus and the ability to trade is simply when you have a surplus of crops you can trade for items you need or want and not have to worry about taking a hit on the crop you have available for yourself and your family.
Identify and describe two social benefits of trade.
Two social benefits of trade are to get your name out there that you have good product and are a fair man in hopes that it will bring you more business and more opportunities and trade for things you want or need to benefit you, another benefit would be to make connections with others and build relationships with other famers incase you ever need help or are in any kind of trouble and need protection.
Identify and describe two negative social results of the development of trade.
Two negative results of trade are having one person who has a big surplus of goods can put that person in a higher power rank then others where people have to come to him or her for their goods because they have it all or have the best or the most crops for trade where it almost can create like a monopoly. The demand for this persons products are so high he can make others trade for more then whats fair. Another negative result to trade is when others have nothing to trade for and end up in debt to another person because they gave them the product needed without anything in return.
Given your answer in the question #1, explain the relationship between the development of agriculture and the development of trade.
With agriculture you tend to have crops then needed to feed your family. So with this surplus of crops famrers would begin to trade crops for things they needed such as different seeds of crops they wanted to grow, crops that they couldnt grow, or equipment to help tend to the land.