The Neolithic Revolution
    For thousands upon thousands years, humans survived by hunting game and gathering edible plants. They lived in bands of no more than two dozen to three dozen people. The men almost cerntainly did the hunting. The women gathered fruits, berries, roots, and grasses. Then about 10,000 years ago, some of the women may have found new crops growing. This discovery would usher in the NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION, or the AGRRICULTURAL revolution - the far reaching changes in human life resulting from the beginnings of farming. The shift from food-gathering to food-producing culture represents one of the great breakthrough in history.
    The agricultural revolution caused a dramatic changes in human diet. Hunter-gatherers consumed about 80 percent meat and 20 percent plant foods. The agricultural revolution reversed these percentages.
 Scientists do not know exactly why the agricultural revolution occured during this period. Change in climate was probably a key factor. Farming offered an attractive alternative. Unlike hunting, farming provided a steady source of food.