Edible History of Humanity

Edible History of Humanity - Tom Standage

9/18/2015

He there superstars! One of the great features of our learning community moving forward will be our whole-group Socratic seminars. However, since we spent a few extra days on unit one, I really do not have time for one on our excerpt by Tom Standage. Solution; the Internet! What follows is a few short questions that you need to answer. Additionally, please respond to at least one other student's answers. Please have your submissions in by midnight on Sunday, September 20th. Happy blogging.

1. Describe the “process of co-evolution” between cereal grains and humans.
2. How was food a “tool” for social organization?
3. What makes modern maize an attractive surplus-producing crop?
4. Describe the transition from teosinte to modern maize.
5. Was this human manipulation of genetics purposeful?
6. What is pellagra and how does it develop in humans? How did early farmers combat this?
7. Describe the transition of wheat.
8. Describe the transition of rice.
9. How was the domestication of cereal grains similar to the domestication of animals?
10. How is the cultivation of agriculture represented in early cultural mythology?
*What is the significance of human agriculture and the domestication of animals?

48 Comments

Jessica Ramirez

9/19/2015 07:38:22 pm

1. Cereal grains are a result of human intervention as farmers selected desirable traits for these crops. As we biologically altered these crops, they transformed mankind by allowing civilizations to bloom.

2. Food was wealth, and control of food was power. Food fostered political centralization, influenced religions, and became a medium of payment and taxation. Food was the heart of a civilization. Political, religious, and economic structures were simply products of it.

3. Modern maize has larger ears that makes it easier to pick out and is much larger than its previous ancestor.

4. Humans first mutated the teosinte's gene named tgar so that it could grow with exposed kernels, and then the gene tbr, which changed its architecture. Teosinte originally had a highly branched architecture with one tassel and several small ears. Over time, it transformed into a crop with fewer but larger ears, and a longer length. From that point on, it was no longer able to survive on its own.

5. Absolutely. It became a staple food that fed the Mayans, Incas, and many other cultures and tribes that cultivated the land long before us.

6. Pellagra is a nutritional disease that is an unfortunate result of a maize-heavy diet. Early farmers prevented pallagra by treating it with calcium hydroxide.
7. Instead of being brittle, wheat obtained a shatterproof rachis. Also, a mutation in wheat caused the glumes to separate more easily thus rendering it helpless in the wild. It lost its seed dormancy, and the variation in ripening time was reduced.

8. Rice, like wheat, also obtained a shatterproof rachis at the hands of early farmers. Once being strong enough to survive floods, rice was too pampered by humans, and lost its durability against floods and the wild in general.

9. Domesticated of animals also experienced extreme biological changes that suited the farmers domesticating them. They lost their ability to survive in the wild because of their huge dependence on humans.

10. There are several examples in the text that explain how agriculture and cultural mythology were closely related. One example is of the Aztecs; hey believed that men were created five times, each generation being an improvement of the last. The fifth and final creation was maize, and only when mankind nourished himself with this crop did he prosper.

*Human agriculture and the domestication of animals put in motion the idea of settling down without starving to death.

Here are my answers! Feel free to respond to my comment; I'm ready to discuss.

Dae Duenas

9/19/2015 10:09:07 pm

Not only did agriculture and the domestication of animals put that idea into motion, it started a completely new chapter to our history. Also as a side note, I think the fact that people caught on to the concept that the cultivation of crops with genetic mutations actually worked.

Alexis Marquez

9/20/2015 04:21:54 pm

I liked in question 2 when you said that Food was wealth, and control of food was power because this is very true and I guess I didnt really realize it until you stated it.

Maedine Cabuhat

9/20/2015 07:10:41 pm

I agree with Alexis; I like your answer to question two that "food was wealth, and control of food was power" because food was a very important and serious necessity to humans

Brittany Dickson

9/20/2015 11:19:27 pm

I like your last statement about settling down without starving to death because that is something that worked, with both agriculture and the domestication of animals they were finally able to stop moving.

Julien Calfayan

9/21/2015 12:33:25 am

I enjoyed your answers. I agree that food is wealth back in these days because with the surplus in food you could build "civilizations" then cities then states and finally empires.

Dae Duenas

9/19/2015 10:04:55 pm

1. Describe the “process of co-evolution” between cereal grains and humans.
Cereal grains and humans are now codependent on each other through the process of co-evolution. Cereal grains have been biologically altered to better serve the human need for food surplus and in turn, the crops can no longer survive in the wild on their own.
2. How was food a “tool” for social organization?
Food was a tool for social organization simply because it was something essential. People couldn’t just drop everything and leave the crops. Because of this, food was used as a form of payment and taxation, public works were based off of agricultural means like irrigation canals fostering political centralization in the process, and agricultural fertility rituals were transformed into state religions.
3. What makes modern maize an attractive surplus-producing crop?
Modern maize is such a good surplus producing crop because of its structure. Modern maize has large ears enclosed in a husk on one stalk, all its kernels are easily accessible, and maize is easily mass produced though it must be planted by hand.
4. Describe the transition from teosinte to modern maize.
The transition from teosinte to modern maize is the result of deliberate human cultivation and genetic mutation. At first teosinte ears only consisted of two rows of kernels protected by a tough casing. To make the kernels more accessible humans selected plants with the genetic mutation of having the kernels exposed. Another genetic mutation effecting the male and female parts of the plant affected the general structure of teosinte eventually transforming it into the single stalked maize crop we have today.
5. Was this human manipulation of genetics purposeful?
Yes, the human manipulation of genetics was very much purposeful even though it didn’t start off that way. They picked out the mutations they wanted in their next crops and over a long period of time, their efforts payed off in making crops that made it easy to get a food surplus.
6. What is pellagra and how does it develop in humans? How did early farmers combat this?
Pellagra is a nutritional disease that is caused by a maize heavy diet. It caused dementia, nausea, rough skin, and light sensitivity. Early farmers combated that by adding calcium hydroxide either to the pot or mixing it with water creating an alkaline solution that the maize soaked in overnight.
7. Describe the transition of wheat.
Wheat changed in a similar fashion to maize. A mutation in wheat caused the glumes that covered each grain to separate easier, leaving the wheat more unprotected but made it easier for humans to separate edible grains after harvesting them. Wheat was soon manipulated to lose its seed dormancy like other cereal grains. Wheat also lost the ability to reproduce by itself.
8. Describe the transition of rice.
Rice became more dependent on human intervention, losing its ability to survive in natural flood waters and became unable to reproduce by itself much like wheat and other cereal grains.
9. How was the domestication of cereal grains similar to the domestication of animals?
The two are similar because just like domesticated animals had worst senses and smaller brains, domesticated plants were less resilient but became more convenient for humans to harvest.
10. How is the cultivation of agriculture represented in early cultural mythology?
In early cultural mythology the major crops are all tied together with the creation of the world and the emergence of civilization after a long period of barbarism. Examples of all of this lies in the mythology of the Mayan, the Aztec, the Incas, and other civilizations.
*What is the significance of human agriculture and the domestication of animals?
Human agriculture and the domestication of animals is the only reason we were able to get a food surplus which lead to the first civilizations, which led to technological and scientific advances, and so forth. It’s the reason we’re where we are today, whether that be a positive or negative thing.

Jessica Ramirez

9/20/2015 01:07:08 pm

Do you think it's positive or negative?

Gabriel Alvarez

9/20/2015 08:10:35 pm

It is difficult for anyone to answer this question because in some ways agriculture has led to the creation of civilization which in turn created marvelous pieces of artwork, literature, and inventions, but at the cost of various human rights and the environment. This question seems to bring up another question, " Is man born evil?"

Krystin "Amazing" Gray

9/21/2015 10:06:20 pm

This is cool. I like it. Detail much. Nice.

Angel Lazcano

9/20/2015 04:18:32 pm

1. Describe the “process of co-evolution” between cereal grains and humans.

Cereal grains were a result of our intervention with early plants. Farmers would favor the crops with more desirable traits, making the gene pool lean towards a plant that is ideal for human consumption. We are now co-dependent of each other in the way that plants, such as corn, need humans to help them grow, and without these cereal grains we are left with little to consume, little to support our extremely massive population.

2. How was food a “tool” for social organization?

Food helped the shape and structure the complex societies, it was something that was needed. With surplus of food came more productivity, and population growth the early civilizations, which was essential. Food was wealth, and control of food was power.

3. What makes modern maize an attractive surplus-producing crop?

Modern maize is an attractive surplus- producing crop because of it’s large ears, and open kernels.

4. Describe the transition from teosinte to modern maize.

Teosinte has a highly branched architecture with multiple stalks, one tassel and several ears. Though human cultivation and genetic mutation, it grew into modern maize, which has a single stalk with no branches, a single tassel at the top, and fewer, but far larger, ears. At that point maize was dependent of human aid to keep it alive.

5. Was this human manipulation of genetics purposeful?

The manipulation of genetics led to this crop being more favorable for human consumption, yes it was purposeful.

6. What is pellagra and how does it develop in humans? How did early farmers combat this?

Pellagra is a nutritional disease that is caused by the lack of niacin. Early farmers combated this by treating is with calcium hydroxide or by what is now known as nixtamalization.

7. Describe the transition of wheat.

The significant mutation of wheat was the softening of the hard glumes that protected the grains, leading to wheat being dependent of human farmers.

8. Describe the transition of rice.

Due to human intervention rice grew taller, larger, more secondary branches with larger grains. It lost it’s natural ability to survive flash floods making it submit to human farmers.

9. How was the domestication of cereal grains similar to the domestication of animals?

The domestication of both cereal grains and animals are similar because of our intervention we have caused them both to loose their ability to survive on their own.

10. How is the cultivation of agriculture represented in early cultural mythology?

In mythology agriculture is represented as the creation of man, as seen in the Aztec and Mayan mythology; As the separation of man and animal, Inca mythology; As a salvation from starvation, Chinese mythology; As a gift from the gods, Indonesian mythology; As offerings to the Gods, Sumerian mythology

*What is the significance of human agriculture and the domestication of animals?

*Agriculture and animal domestication are significant because we need both to keep our civilizations going. The surplus they give us helps keep our high populations working and living.

Hannah Uranga link

9/20/2015 07:19:04 pm

I enjoy how in depth you were in all of your answers. For example, on number ten you gave examples of the mythology stories. This provided me with information that I had not thought to put.

Gabriel Alvarez

9/20/2015 09:37:31 pm

I will ask you the same question that I asked someone else. Do we truly need civilization to keep going?

Alexis Marquez

9/20/2015 04:46:02 pm

1. Co-evolution has made cereal grains and humans dependent on each other because humans changed the biological makeup of cereal grains so that the cereal grains can support humans better. The only way for those crops to survive is by humans tending to them and helping them grow.
2. Food was a tool for social organization because since it was a necessity, everyone needed to pitch in to keep crop production going. Food was also used to pay taxes, trade, etc.
3. Modern maize is an attractive surplus-producing crop because its structure has larger ears and therefore is easier to pick.
4. The transition from teosinte to modern maize is due to genetic mutation. It started off as a skinny crop, with only two rows of corn kernels surrounded by a tough casing. Then, modern geneticists used the TgaI mutation which made the kernels more exposed. Next, they did a mutation in a gene known as tbI which made larger ears. Lastly, they increased the length of the corn to almost the size we see today.
5. This human manipulation of genetics was purposeful because it fed so many more people.
6. Pellagra is a nutritional disease characterized by nausea, rough skin, sensitivity to light, and dementia. It develops in humans due to a maize-heavy diet. Early farmers combatted this by adding calcium hydroxide on the form of ash to water or the cooking pot.
7. Wheat was changed in a similar fashion to maize. A first mutation in wheat caused the hard glumes to separate more easily. Soon after, wheat was changed to lose its seed dormancy like other cereal grains. Wheat also lost the ability to reproduce on its own.
8. Rice became dependent on human intervention which changed it to have taller and larger plants to aid harvesting.
9. They both are similar because they provide food, both went through a gene change, and reduced their ability to survive in the wild.
10. The cultivation of Agriculture is shown to explain origins, how mankind was created, and how it saved civilizations from starvation.
*human agriculture and the domestication of animals helped save many civilizations who were close to dying out because of starvation.

Breanna Bates.

9/20/2015 05:43:29 pm

I really like how in your last answer you stated, "Helped save many civilizations who were close to dying out because of starvation," as none of the other answers I've read had mentioned that and it was also a valid point. Not even I had thought to mention it.

Breanna Bates

9/20/2015 05:36:07 pm

1. Cereal grains have transformed mankind altogether. These crops only exist due o the result of human intervention as mankind has changed the plants from the start.
2. Food has helped create the shape and structure of societies that have emerged. A platform that civilizations could be founded on has been provided by food. It was even used as a way of taxation and payment for some. Food itself was considered wealth.
3. Modern maize is such an attractive surplus-producing crop because of its largeness now compared to before and it's simple ability to be picked also due to the size difference.
4. Teosinte ears first started off with two rows of kernels protected by a tough casing. Then one gene known as "tgar" had resulted in exposed kernels, thus making teosinte pants both less likely to survive alone and more attractive to humans.
5. Yes it was indeed purposeful. The mutations that were wanted in crops were picked out which then lead into the making of crops that made it more simple to get more food over time.
6. Pellagra was a nutritional disease that was a result of a maize-heavy diet. Early farmers decided to use calcium hydroxide to prevent this disease alone or soak maize in this mixed with water.
7. Wheat transformed due to a mutation resulting in hard glumes covering the grains to separate more easily. This mutation made wheat less likely to survive in the wild and it also helped farmer separate grains.
8. Rice had lost its natural ability to survive in flood waters, thus making it more reliable on human intervention. It soon even became unable to produce on its own.
9. Domesticated had lost some of their senses and made it easier for the farmers domesticating them, just as plants had made it easier for the farmers due to their lack of ability to survive in the wild.
10. The cultivation of agriculture is represented in early cultural mythology by the way crops are included with the creation both our world and civilizations that had occurred. The mayans and the aztecs were mentioned as examples supporting this.
* Human agriculture and the domestication of animals have helped us reach to where we are today. We could not have nearly developed as greatly as we did without these two factors. These had been a result of food surplus and helped that lead into many other things resulting in our world today.

Hannah Uranga link

9/20/2015 07:07:42 pm

1. Describe the “process of co-evolution” between cereal grains and humans.
Cereal grains have become an invention of Humans as there desirable traits were selected and propagated by early farmers. These changes prevent cereal grains from returning to their original roots, forcing them to be dependent on us. We humans now rely on these grains as they supply our food surplus.
2. How was food a “tool” for social organization?
Food was a tool for social organizations, perhaps even being more powerful than the invention of money, as everyone needed it to survive. This meant that it could be used in common civil interactions such as payment, public works, and religious rituals. As it says “food was wealth-and control of food was power”
3. What makes modern maize an attractive surplus-producing crop?
Modern Maize has larger ears and structure. This makes the kernels easier to pick. The maize can even be produced in large quantities.
4. Describe the transition from teosinte to modern maize.
Teosinte was a plant with two rows of kernels surrounded by tough casings. Through genetic mutation the plant began to transform. For example, a mutation in a single gene called tgar resulted in exposed kernels. The now modern Maize also became single stalk and dependent on Humans.
5. Was this human manipulation of genetics purposeful?
Overall yes, as we had easier access, but we still needed the help of further technological twist to get the elements essential to a healthy diet as Maize did not originally supply this.
6. What is pellagra and how does it develop in humans? How did early farmers combat this?
Pellagra is a nutritional disease characterized by nausea, rough skin, sensitivity to light, and dementia. It can occur through a maize heavy diet. Early farmers combated this by adding calcium hydroxide to cooking pots or mixed with water in which the maize was left to soak in.
7. Describe the transition of wheat.
A mutation in Wheat caused the hard glumes that cover each grain to separate more easily, resulting in “self-threshing” varieties. This was good for humans as they could now separate the edible grains after beating sheaves of cut wheat on a stone threshing floor. Although this was bad for the wheat as it could no longer be as protected and relied on humans.
8. Describe the transition of rice.
Rice began to be pampered by human famers so it could become taller and larger plants to aid harvesting. As a result rice lost its natural ability to survive in flood waters. Along with wheat, there were less able to reproduce independently because of the human-selected shatter proof rachis.
9. How was the domestication of cereal grains similar to the domestication of animals?
The domestication of cereal grains were similar to the domestication of animals because both have lost their own natural instincts and have become dependent on us humans as we altered them to fit our needs in harvesting them.
10. How is the cultivation of agriculture represented in early cultural mythology?
The cultivation of agriculture is linked to the emergence of civilization after a long period of barbarism and the creation of the world itself. Examples of this include the Maya’s Popul Vuh, Maize being apart of the Incas origins, Rice saving mankind from starvation in Chinese myths, and the Indonesian rice goddess, Sri.
*What is the significance of human agriculture and the domestication of animals?
Human agriculture and the domestication of animals led people to settle down, increase the population, and evolve into the civilized humans we are today.

Maedine Cabuhat

9/20/2015 07:11:41 pm

1. Describe the “process of co-evolution” between cereal grains and humans.

Cereal grains was an invention by propagating crops. Humans domesticating crops lead to the transformation of human kind.

2. How was food a “tool” for social organization?

Food helped shaped and structured complex societies that emerged. Food became taxation and payment, help develop agricultural fertility rituals into state religions, etcetera. Also, food helped civilizations to connect to one another by not only networks of communications, but humans exchanged culture and religion.

3. What makes modern maize an attractive surplus-producing crop?

Modern maize ears grew larger from one generation to the next and is easier to collect than the smaller ears. It also spread throughout the Americas.

4. Describe the transition from teosinte to modern maize.

Teosinte ears had two rows of kernels surrounded by glumes. Each stalk had one tassel and several ears. This mutation of gene is called tbr. Humans propagated the kernels as seeds which created another mutation. The ears were closer to the grounded which resulted in growing larger.

5. Was this human manipulation of genetics purposeful?

This manipulation was purposeful because it suited human purposes better. The development made the modern world of crops.

6. What is pellagra and how does it develop in humans? How did early farmers combat this?

Pellagra is a nutritional disease that causes nausea, rough skin, sensitivity to light, and dementia. Pellagra is caused by a maize-heavy diet. Early farmer combated this by adding calcium hydroxide, in the from of ash, to a cooking pot creating an alkaline solution as the maize is soaked overnight.

7. Describe the transition of wheat.

Wheat has a “tough rachis” or a shatterproof rachis. Individual grains are less protected because of the hard glumes that results in each grain separating more easily. But the small grains are passed over to the larger grains which propagated the mutations. Wheat can lose seed dormancy when they need the cold or light to start growing.

8. Describe the transition of rice.

Rice couldn’t survive in flood waters and it was less able to reproduce because of the shatterproof rachis. Rice had the same familiar genetic theme as wheat and maize.

9. How was the domestication of cereal grains similar to the domestication of animals?

The domestication of cereal grains and animals were similar because both had less ability to survive in the wild because humans relied on their new creations.

10. How is the cultivation of agriculture represented in early cultural mythology?

The cultivation of agriculture is represented after a long period of barbarism. The Aztecs and the Mayans believed the repeating of men to create mankind; the Incas explained their origin and said the people lived like wild animals; the Chinese said rice saved mankind on the verge of starvation.

*What is the significance of human agriculture and the domestication of animals?

This put mankind to the modern world. Without human agriculture and domestication of animals, we wouldn’t live how we live today.

Stephanie Martinez-Soto

9/20/2015 08:27:43 pm

I really like how in question 10 you put "long period of barbarism" and continued to explain each civilization and how they represented agriculture.

Gabriel Alvarez

9/20/2015 08:06:58 pm

1. Humans and grains co-evolved due to humans genetically engineering the crops for more favorable traits, i.e, the transformation of teostine into maize or corn. These grains, now dependent on humans, created the foundation for civilizations due to the eventual food surplus that would emerge from agriculture.
2. Food was a tool for social organization in that it stimulated population growth and created various social inequalities. With food surplus not everyone needed to hunt or gather, creating new jobs and elite classes of individuals. Food was used as means of wealth and also helped support the elite class through taxes. Finally, some believe that civilizations were created for large scale irrigational projects that required a whole community of people to create.
3. Maize is an attractive surplus crop because of the tgai which makes the ears exposed an easier to eat then it’s ancestor teostine; also the large ears made it easier to collect.
4. Teostine is the small and skinny ancestor to the crop now known as maize, but due to the two mutation tgai which exposed the kernels and the other mutation tbi which gave the tesotine one single tassel, humans selectively breed these crops with favorable traits until it eventually became domesticated corn.
5. The domestication of corn was intentional in that humans tried to breed the corn with the most favorable traits for their survival and ease of consumption.
6. Pellagra develops from a niacin deficient diet and early farmers solved this by treating corn with calcium hydroxide and water.
7. A mutation in wheat that made it useful for humans was a defect that made the grains easier to separate the edible grains on a stone threshing floor. Humans also tried to remove seed dormancy in order for a whole field to ripen at the same time in order to reduce variation in ripening time.
8. Humans made rice shatterproof and they bread the rice to be taller, more secondary branches, and larger grains to create yield. A consequence from this was that rice lost its natural ability to survive floods.
9. The domestication of animals is similar to that of crops because humans bread animals with unfavorable traits in the wild but beneficial to them. They’re also similar in that both domesticated crops and animals are dependent on humans because of their genetically induced handicaps.
10. Various cultures attribute agriculture to the creation of man and his success, i.e, the Aztecs believed that man was created five times until man nourished himself with maize. Another characteristic that is attributed to agriculture is man emerging from barbarism to civilization as seen from the Sumerian Gods, Ashan and Lahar.
* Agriculture allowed for homo sapien to manipulate the world around him and allowed for food surplus that would allow his success on the planet Earth, but this success was met without much regard to the environment and has led to social inequalities and war, a fact of life that was almost nonexistent for around 195,000 years of man’s existence.

Cattrinna Winston

9/20/2015 09:11:19 pm

I like how you described how agriculture led to social inequalities and war. I didn't see many students get into detail about the last question.

Mateo Markovic

9/20/2015 09:16:30 pm

I like how you added that the cultivation of agriculture also caused warfare and inequality.

Gabriel Alvarez

9/20/2015 09:25:18 pm

I used allowed too much, oops.

Angel Lazcano

9/20/2015 09:23:35 pm

I love the detail you put into answering these questions, and the fact you included the thought of social inequalities in number 2.

Bryce Fleischmann

9/21/2015 08:26:49 pm

While I mostly agree with you on answer to the significance of agriculture question, we cannot blame human violence solely on the productions of Agricultural. People had fought and killed each other long before agriculture emerged. And although agriculture did allow for the conditions that war thrived in, it was not inevitable, as some communities stayed peaceful long after the emergence of farming.

Matthew

9/22/2015 07:28:26 pm

Nice explanation simple as well.

Stephanie Martinez-Soto

9/20/2015 08:21:36 pm

1. Cereal grains are a result of the selection of desirable traits by early farmers. Crops are, in fact, merely inventions only existing because of human intervention.
2. Food was a tool for social organization by helping shape and structure the societies which emerged. It became a form of payment and taxation. Food was wealth and control of food was power.
3. The ears of the maize end up closer to the nutrient supply, due to being closer to the ground, and can grow larger. Farmers would give preference to plants with larger ears.
4. It is the result of human propagation of random genetic mutations that transformed a simple grass (teosinte) into a huge mutant no longer able to survive in the wild. A single gene (tgai) controls the size of the glumes protecting the kernels and a mutation results in exposed kernels.
5. The human manipulation of genetics was greatly significant, literally making possible the modern world. They (wheat, rice and maize) laid the foundations for civilization and continue to be purposeful today.
6. Pellagra is a nutritional disease characterized by nausea, rough skin, light sensitivity, and dementia. It was treated by using calcium hydroxide, either added to the cooking pot or mixed with water in which the maize is left to soak overnight.
7. Domesticated varieties of wheat are shatterproof by a single genetic mutation meaning the rachis doesn’t become brittle even when the seeds ripen. A mutation can result in “self-thrashing” verities. The loss of seed dormancy is another common trait. The effect, although, is the reduction of variation in ripening time.
8. Rice lost its natural ability to survive in flood waters as it was pampered by human farmers. Due to the human-selected shatterproof rachis, both wheat and rice were less able to reproduce by themselves. They no longer depended on just themselves but man too. “More convenient food, less resilient plant.”
9. Most domesticated animals have a smaller chance to being able to survive in the wild due to the dependency between humans and their new creations.
10. Humans became dependent on their new creations. The cultures relied on a range of foods, most important the cereals. The Aztecs of Mexico believed men were created five times with each generation better than the last. Teosinte was used in the third and fourth creations and finally maize as the last creation with man prospering. The creation story of the Maya of southern Mexico also involves repeated attempts to create mankind.
*The domestication of animals and agriculture put mankind on the road to the present day. It was an essential step toward the emergence of civilization.

Cattrinna Winston

9/20/2015 09:16:13 pm

Wasn't the emergence of civilization already starting when food became an issue ?

The last answer up gave i kind of disagree with because food caused wealth to become essential and trade too. It was a huge impact on civilizations. That emerged civilizations tremendously.

Michelle Breucop

9/21/2015 12:02:16 am

I like how on number five you mentioned that the main cereal grains laid a foundation for civilization because that is indeed very true and I agree with that.

Cattrinna Winston

9/20/2015 09:08:00 pm

1. Human intervention was the outcome of the cereal grains which farmers selected profitable crops. As we, as humans, amended the cereal crops, they changed mankind by the thriving of civilizations.

2. Food was the shape of civilizations through wealth and economy. The civilizations produces the food which gives them power to debate over others wealth. Influencing religions, taxation, and politically changing the economy,the production of food encountered all that.

3. Modern maize was an attractive surplus-producing crop because it had larger ears and more kernels for humans to consume.

4. Teosinte has several stalks, one tassel, and has many ears. Human cultivation and genetic mutation ended up producing modern maize, with fewer stalks and very enlarged ears. Humans basically produced modern maize and the maize was dependent on us, the humans.

5. The manipulation of genetics was purposeful because humans got more production and consumption.

6. Pellagra is a deficiency disease caused by a lack of nicotine acid or its precursor tryptophan in the diet. Farmers prevented pellagra by treating it with calcium hydroxide.

7. The significant mutation of wheat was the softening of the hard glumes that protected the grains which made it easier to separate them. The mutation made wheat unlikely to survive in the wild.

8. Rice was similar to wheat in a way . Soon rice lost its durability against floods making it more reliable on human intervention. Rice could have caused less production too.

9. The domestication of both cereal grains and animals are similar because of our human intervention. The humans greatly caused them to loose their ability to survive independently.

10. . The cultivation of agriculture is represented in early cultural mythology by the way crops are included within the creation of man. For example, the Aztecs believed that men were created five times, each time being more significant . Also, the Mayans.

** Agriculture and animal domestication are significant because we need both to keep our civilizations growing and populating. The surplus of agriculture and animal domestication helps improve civilizations and growth of its people. Agriculture and domesticating animals are the prime life of civilizations.

Gabriel Alvarez

9/20/2015 09:33:51 pm

Do we truly need for our populations to grow and for civilization to prosper? Need is truly a powerful word as it makes human actions seem justifiable and that our species need this form of living that has lead to the destruction of our planet, it's organism, and social equality. How can we need something that will eventually destroy us?

Emily Hardesty

9/23/2015 04:14:43 pm

Ishmeal,you nailed it great connectoin Gabriel!

Mateo Markovic

9/20/2015 09:12:48 pm

1: Co-evolution between humans and cereal grains exists because of the selection of specific traits. This caused the cereal grains to be dependent on humans as it can no longer survive in the wild due to how mutated it was. Humans are also depended on the cereal grains because it provides the food surplus humans need.

2: Food was a tool for social organization as political, religious, and economic structures of the ancient societies were all based on food production and distribution. Due to food surpluses, food became a medium for payment and taxation. Status was demonstrated by hosting feasts. “Food was wealth – and the control of food was power.”

3: Modern maize is an attractive surplus-producing crop because of its larger ears which is easier to collect than smaller ones. They also grow larger because the ears are closer to the ground and nutrient supply. More kernels were propagated as well.

4: Teosinte started off highly branched with multiple stalks, and several ears. The mutation tbr caused the number of ears to decrease but become much larger. The tgal mutation caused the kernels to be more exposed. All of these mutations caused the plant to become fully dependent on humans, and likewise, humans dependent on maize.

5: The human manipulation of genetics was very much purposeful. Why else would it have been done? It all contributed towards crops that humans favored more and contributed to the food surplus and the co-evolution of humans and cereal grains.

6: Pellagra, a nutritional disease is caused by a maize heavy diet, as maize lacked the amino acids lysine and tryptophan, along with niacin that are essential for a healthy diet. Farmers combated this by treating maize with calcium hydroxide.

7: Wheat also transition like maize by mutations. One of the mutations caused the hard glumes covering each grain to separate easier. This also caused them to become less protected, which in turn makes the crop dependent on farmers. Another mutated trait is the loss of seed dormancy. No seed dormancy allows the crop to start growing as soon as it is planted. Which is of course favorable to farmers.

8: Rice again also transitioned by man-made mutations. One of which is taller and larger plants which made it easier to harvest. Along with more secondary branches and larger grains to have a bigger yield. This, like maize and wheat caused the crop to be depended on humans as it was no longer able to survive in flood waters and was less able to reproduce by itself.

9: Domestication of cereal grains was similar to the domestication of animals because they both became dependent on humans, but were also more favorable to humans. Most of the domesticated animals had smaller brains and reduced eyesight and hearing. This causes them, like crops to not be able to survive in the wild.

10: Cultivation of agriculture is represented in early cultural mythology in multiple ways. The Aztecs thought that men were created 5 times and improved each generation. Teosinte was the principle food of the 3rd and 4th generations. But then, the 5th generation came, maize! This is when they prospered. Rice appears in Chinese myths, which saved mankind on the verge of starvation.

*Human agriculture and the domestication of animals is significant in that it led to a food surplus. Which lead to the settling down of peoples and civilization. Which also lead to lots and lots of people..

Mateo Markovic

9/20/2015 09:13:51 pm

Wow Mateo, I really liked how you answered the questions.

Jason Martin link

9/20/2015 09:29:27 pm

I think not only did it "lead to lots and lots of people" it has lead to many new creations such as tools, transporting methods, buildings, warfare, and etc.

Jason Martin link

9/20/2015 09:17:16 pm

1. The process of co-evolution between cereal grains and humans have been through the workings of farming and the desirable traits of choosing. Cereal grains have transformed mankind as mankind has changed cereal grains.

2. Food is a tool since it was wealth and control of food meant power. Food accomplished the tasks of payment and taxation. Food has been the tool that has constructed and formed the complex societies, for tools are meant to build things.

3. Modern maize was a surplus-producing crop for its structure. Maize’s structure was much greater in amount, had lager ears which made it easier to pick out.

4. The transition from teosinte to modern maize happened over the feat of genetic engineering by man. In which involved the supplement of squash and beans in corn.

5. Human manipulation of genetics was purposeful for that could produce food that could sustain civilizations and make it easier to have food surplus.

6.Pellagra is a nutritional disease caused by a lack of niacin in the diet. It developed in humans by a heavy diet of maize. Early farmers combated this by adding calcium hydroxide in a cooking pot in which had water and maize so then it could be soaked overnight.

7. The transition of wheat was mutation in which the glumes became soften and exposed to the wild, the grains were no longer protected. Soon that made wheat dependent on human farming to sustain it.

8. The transition of rice occurred similar to wheat, which it became dependent on humans for the cause of rice not been able to survive in water floods and reproduce on its own.

9. The domestication of cereal grains were similar to those of animals because they were both not able to survive on their own, which got humans to take over.

10.The cultivation of agricultural is presented in early cultural mythology with the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas civilizations. Explaining the creation of humankind, origins, and other believes of the world.

*The significance of human agriculture and the domestication of animals is what has kept humans alive to be able to create, move, and interact with things around the world, in which leads to where we are now.

Emmanuel Imperial

9/20/2015 09:56:49 pm

1. Describe the “process of co-evolution” between cereal grains and humans.
The process of co-evolution between cereal grains and humans was that humans made alterations to the plant to satisfy there needs, do to this plants can not survive with out humans so they both need each other.
2. How was food a “tool” for social organization?
Food was very important for social orginization. It was used for taxation and also as a source of payment. If you had food you were considered wealthy.
3. What makes modern maize an attractive surplus-producing crop?
The ears of the crop were large which made it fairly easy to collect then most crops. Farmers could also grow them in large quantitie, which is why it became a surplus producing crop.
4. Describe the transition from teosinte to modern maize.
Teosinite had started with two rows of kernnels. then teosinite was given a gene tgai that resulted in exposed kernnels. This made the plant rely on humans for survival.
5. Was this human manipulation of genetics purposeful?
yes it was purposeful. Over a llarge time span they made crops more benifitial and was able to get a food surplus out of them.
6. What is pellagra and how does it develop in humans? How did early farmers combat this?
Pellagra is a nausea causing nutritional disease. farmers combated this by soaking maize in calcium hydroxide and water.
7. Describe the transition of wheat.
The mutation in wheat made the glumes seperate easier. then it lost its seed democracy and was unable to survive on its own.
8. Describe the transition of rice.
rice changed into taller and larger plants which aided in harvestin. rice also lost the ability to survive in flood waters
9. How was the domestication of cereal grains similar to the domestication of animals?
they were similar cause they both lost the ability to survive on there own. they both even became more effective to humans.
10. How is the cultivation of agriculture represented in early cultural mythology?
As the aztec and mayan supported, it was the creation of humans and there civilization.
*What is the significance of human agriculture and the domestication of animals?
the significant of this allowed our civilization to get to where we are now. this also lead to increase of population and permanent settlement which is what created civilizations

Brittany Dickson

9/20/2015 11:12:57 pm

1. Cereal grains today are a mere result of the selection of traits mankind has chosen for them. The domestication of crops has evolved humans into being dependent on them as they are on us.

2. Food is a tool in social organization because not only is it something we need to survive, but it became a form of status. If you had a surplus of food you were wealthy, and had power because you had more.

3. Modern maize is an attractive surplus-producing crop because it is larger than it once was, more to eat and easier to pick because of its size.

4. Teosinte was branched with many stalks, one tassel and several ears, but with genetic mutation now there is a single stalk with no branches, a single tassel and an ear enclosed in a husk.

5. This manipulation of genetics was purposeful for humans because now the food supply is larger for us.

6. Pellagra is a nutritional disease caused by a maize-heavy diet. Early farmers combated this by treating it with calcium hydroxide or mixing this with water and soaking the corn.

7. The transition of wheat also is from a mutation, in this mutation the hard glumes that cover each grain separate easily, helping humans to be able and separate the grains.

8. This is also a mutation, but in this the plant grows taller and larger, the rice is also unable to survive in flood waters and reproduce on its own.

9. The domestication of cereal grains is similar to the domestication of animals because both are not able to survive in the wild anymore, they rely on humans.

10. The cultivation of agriculture is represented in early cultural mythology by saying that the creation of man and his success is connected to that of crops.

*The significance of human agriculture and the domestication of crops is that with out it we would not be where we are today. Settlement of people would have never happened, which would mean no civilizations and everything that came after it.

Michelle

9/20/2015 11:57:59 pm

1. The process of co-evolution between cereal grains and humans is that both evolved at the hands of the other. Cereal grains were selected and domesticated by humans while humans also evolved with the dependency of the cereal grains.
2. Food was a "tool" for social organization in that it was a form of power. Food controlled whether one was barely surviving or had more than enough.
3. Modern maize makes an attractive surplus producing crop in that it's much larger and has bigger kernels for consumption than its ancestor.
4. The transition for teosinte to modern maize was that humans first mutated the teosinte to grow where it's kernels were visible, then changed its shape where it's multiple small ears became fewer but larger.
5. This human manipulation of genetics was purposeful. It gave way to more food and a new form of mutation.
6. Pellagra is a disease that results from lack of nutrition from a maize-based diet. Early farmers fought it by treating their maize with calcium hydroxide.
7. The transition of wheat was that it's hard glumes became easier to separate and in result became much more vulnerable. Also, in the process, wheat lost its ability of seed dormancy.
8. In the transition of rice, it became incredibly dependent on human intervention. It lost its natural ability to survive in flood waters, and became less able to reproduce by itself.
9. The domestication of cereal grains were similar to the domestication of animals in that both became dependent on humans and lost their natural ability to survive in the wild.
10. The cultivation of agriculture was represented in early mythology multiple times. The Aztecs believed that man was created five times, and the last creation prospered on maize.
11. * Human agriculture and the domestication of animals resulted in humans shaping the wild to their benefit and created a method for humans to be able to settle down and stay in one place.

Julien Calfayan

9/21/2015 12:31:01 am

1. Oat grains are an aftereffect of human mediation as ranchers chose alluring qualities for these yields. As we organically modified these harvests, they changed humanity by permitting civic establishments to sprout.

2. Nourishment was riches, and control of sustenance was influence. Nourishment encouraged political centralization, affected religions, and turned into a medium of installment and levy. Sustenance was the heart of a human advancement. Political, religious, and financial structures were basically results of it.

3. Cutting edge maize has bigger ears that makes it less demanding to choose and is much bigger than its past progenitor.

4. People initially transformed the teosinte's quality named tgar so that it could develop with uncovered pieces, and after that the quality tbr, which changed its building design. Teosinte initially had a profoundly stretched construction modeling with one tuft and a few little ears. After some time, it changed into a yield with less however bigger ears, and a more drawn out length. Starting there on, it was no more ready to make due all alone.

5. Completely. It turned into a staple sustenance that encouraged the Mayans, Incas, and numerous different societies and tribes that developed the area much sooner than us.

6. Pellagra is a nourishing illness that is an awful consequence of a maize-substantial eating regimen. Early agriculturists forestalled pallagra by treating it with calcium hydroxide.

7. Rather than being fragile, wheat acquired a shatterproof rachis. Likewise, a change in wheat brought on the glumes to discrete all the more effortlessly in this way rendering it vulnerable in nature. It lost its seed torpidity, and the variety in maturing time was decreased.

8. Rice, similar to wheat, likewise got a shatterproof rachis on account of ahead of schedule agriculturists. Once being sufficiently solid to survive surges, rice was excessively spoiled by people, and lost its toughness against surges and the wild all in all.

9. Trained of creatures likewise experienced amazing organic changes that suited the ranchers taming them. They lost their capacity to make due in the wild as a result of their gigantic reliance on people.

10. There are a few samples in the content that clarify how horticulture and social mythology were firmly related. One sample is of the Aztecs; hey trusted that men were made five times, every era being a change of the last. The fifth and last creation was maize, and just when humankind sustained himself with this product did he flourish.

Bryce Fleischmann

9/21/2015 08:16:03 pm

1. As humans adapted and evolved as farmers, they modified the genes of cereal grains through the process of selection. The purpose of this was to make farming more effective and far more efficient.
2. Food was a tool for social organization in that the more food you had, the wealthier and more powerful you were. Vice Versa, the less many you had, the less food you could buy. This left the rich full and fat and the poor starving.
3. Modern maze is an attractive crop because it is much larger now than it was when found in the wild, and the crop was much easier to get to, both the result of human-caused adaptation.
4. Teosinte was turned into modern maize through human interaction and selection. Humans breaded plants with larger and more kernels, producing a larger crop and more food that was easier to collect and store. Humans also breaded plants with softer coverings, allowing in the easier retrieval of edible kernels.
5. This human genetic manipulation was very purposeful, as it made farming much easier and much more convenient for humans.
6. Pellagra is a nutritional disease caused by the lack of amino acids, which are not found in maize. The problem was combated with calcium hydroxide, which the farmers mixed in with the maize.
7. Wheat was made with shatter proof, less covered grains through human selective breading, allowing more convenience for farmers.
8. Rice was made to have larger branches as well as more large grains through human selective breading, allowing more convenience for farmers.
9. Cereal grains and animals were both domesticated to help humans and human convenience rather than to help them, and in most cases they were hindered in the process.
10. Agriculture is used to explain why things are the way they are and how they came to be that way. An example of this would be societies believing that man was made from parts of plants and crops that they later ate.
*Human agriculture and domesticated animals are significant because they shaped the way of human future, allowing us to progress at speeds that were unimaginable and to invent, discover, and learn new things at unfathomable speeds. A surplus of food allowed for studies into the fields of medicine, science, math, literature, and even led to finding easier ways to preform everyday tasks. It also destroyed the environment around it in the process, Making some areas so void and barren that they became uninhabitable. The use of agricultural was one of the most consequential events in human history. Sadly, I believe that in the long run, it changed things for the worse.

Sydny Dunn

9/21/2015 10:13:02 pm

I like your example in number 10 of the societies believing that man was made from parts of plants, it really explains the relation of agriculture and mythology.

Matt

9/22/2015 07:22:35 pm

I like how you made connections with both of the grains.

Krystin "Awesome" Gray

9/21/2015 10:05:16 pm

1: Cereal grains change because of humans. Humans needed the products to change to support the human race. Putting them together to create a much evolved product will support the evolved population of humans.
2: Food was used as a tool, to get people to work together, while creating a larger society. With food being needed by everyone, they were able to use this to bring those together.
3: Maize have became a larger product while being able to produce in larger amounts.
4: Teosinte ears have two rows of kernels surrounded with glumes, while each stalk had one tassel and several ears, leading to a genetic mutation called tbr. Humans accomplished this by propagated kernels as seeds creating a mutation
5: Yes, because they wanted the food to change in order to help the changing of society.
6: With a heavy maize diet, this can lead to pellagra, where this leads to nausea, light senstivity, dementia, and rough skin. To neutralize this, farmers use calcium hydroxide.
7. Describe the transition of wheat.
7: Wheat transition was the same as maize. With being shatter proof, less grains coverage, allowing more convenience for farmers.
8: Rice wasn't able to survive flood waters, less repoducation, because of shatterprood rachis.
9: The two different type of domestication were alike due to how humans would take one or both, harvesting to then reporduce in the desire, while compabilty of doing so.
10: Cultivation of agriculutral was represented by how humans would rely on different kinds of foods that they have created. Aztecs had believe in how men were created five times, better then the last.
*Human agriculture and the domestication of animals is significant leading to food surplus, which process to become a settlement while a civilization. With this causing a population increase.

Sydny Dunn

9/21/2015 10:15:52 pm

1. Human intervention resulted in cereal grains as farmers choose desirable traits for these. After altering these crops, they allowed civilizations to flourish, transforming mankind.
2. Food was equal to wealth, and the control over your food was equal to power. Like in our generation, having wealth in power put you into your social hierarchy.
3. Modern maize is much larger than its ancestor crop, and has larger ears making it easier to harvest.
4. Human first changed teosinte’s genetic make-up so that it would grow with exposed kernels. Then, mutated it again to change its’ architecture. Originally, teosinte was a tall crop with many small ears and one tassel, but transformed into a crop with less, but larger ears and a longer length. After that, it was no longer able to survive by itself.
5. Yes, it became a food that fed the Incas, Mayans, and many other cultural tribes that came before us.
6. Pellagra was a disease of consuming too much maize, and was prevented with calcium hydroxide.
7. Wheat became no longer brittle and generated a shatterproof rachis. A mutation in wheat caused to glumes to separate easier, making it helpless in the wild, as well.
8. Rice also became very strong and was able to survive against flood, so humans began to pamper it. By pampering it, it lost its ability to survive against floods and the wild itself.
9. Animals began to rely on humans when being domesticated. By relying on humans, like some plants, they became unable to survive in the wild by themselves.
10. An example of agriculture and cultural mythology that were closely related were the Aztechs who believed that every time man was created, in their belief it was five, that each new generation was better than the last. The final generation being the one that discovered the domestication of maize.
* Domestication of animals and human agriculture are significant because they put out the idea of being able to provide for themselves and settled down without running out of resources, or starving to death.

Matthew T. Hardesty Jr.

9/22/2015 07:20:12 pm

1a.
Cereal grains were just another plant until humans decided that they wanted to farm cereal crops then we humans started to destroy and change other plants and cereal crops to allow us to have easier access to food. This beginning of the agricultural revolution allowed a more convenient food source but led to shorter lifespan and less happy and healthy people.

2a.
Food was a tool for social organization because it essentially allowed a people to make less of others who were no longer making an equivalent amount of sustenance for their society.This created a gap which turned into governments and patriarchal systems.

3a.
Modern maize is a super bioengineered crop that is now easier to farm and it makes more food than ever before.

4a.teosinte is a close relative of modern day maize minus the genetic engineering and it's more grass like as well.

5a.yes humans wanted more food so they bred favorable traits and destroyed unfavorable ones then when humans discovered genetic engineering they did the same.

6a.pellagra is a nutrition deficiency and early farmers combated it by mixing maize with lime and other things that supplement nutrition.

7a.wheat was weakened by humans to enable it to be both more dependent on farmers and easier for them to be harvested.

8a.humans greatly weakened rice by making it dependent on the farmers for protection and nutrition.

9a.humans changed the way these things react with their surroundings.

10a.Usually by a god teaching them.

Emily Hardesty

9/23/2015 04:09:20 pm

Your simplistic answers to questoins 3 and 4 calmed my doubts on the questoins.l also would like to point out that I enjoyed your definitoin on pellegra as well.

Emily Hardesty

9/23/2015 04:00:39 pm

1. Describe the “process of co-evolution” between cereal grains and humans.
The human engineering of changing cereal grains has in turn changed our own way of living.As we, changed the crops, they changed mankind by giving us civilizations(more food,higher population).
2. How was food a “tool” for social organization?
Having provided the platform of which civilizations occurred food became a tool for social organization.Agriculture fostered political centralization and was evan used as a way of payment.
3. What makes modern maize an attractive surplus-producing crop?
Modern maize is an attractive surplus-producing crop because the mutation makes it easier to harvest and contain higher quality of product having larger ears and more kernels.
4. Describe the transition from teosinte to modern maize.
The transition from teosinte to modern maize is due to human cultivatoinn.Humans changed the crop to overtime have a different structure,maize now has one single stalk while teosinte has multiple.Maize also now only has one tassel on top.The mutation has to do with a gene called tbr.
5. Was this human manipulation of genetics purposeful?Human manipulation of genetics is only purposeful to humans in the fact that they help human consumption and increase population.
6. What is pellagra and how does it develop in humans? How did early farmers combat this?Pellagra is a disease in which malnutrition occurs because certain individuals don't receive enough vitamin b3 and have a heavy maize diet.One way farmers dealt with this problem is by treating the maize with calcium hydroxide.Another way they dealt with this is by eating other foods that are non-maize based.
7. Describe the transition of wheat.
Wheat transitioned in the fact that the hard glooms slowly became softer over time.
8. Describe the transition of rice.
Rice was changed by its farmers making it easier for them to harvest however this caused the rice to rely heavily on man in order to grow.One change rice has gone through is it is unable to survive in flood waters now.
9. How was the domestication of cereal grains similar to the domestication of animals?The overall similarity is human impact these grains and animals can no longer survive on there own,humans need them to survive as well.
10. How is the cultivation of agriculture represented in early cultural mythology?Food was and is still today considered precious so it was brought into mythology.To the Incas for example maize was considered a sacred crop.Chinese had mythes about rice due to the significance it had on there life's.They talked about how it was formed in there opinions.
*What is the significance of human agriculture and the domestication of animals?Without the two we wouldn't be were we are today in society.The domestication of plants and animals lead to the globalization of agriculture which lead to human technological advances.

Edible History of Humanity - Tom Standage

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