sust exam 3

What is the correct sequence of events that contributed to the Younger Dryas? A. The slowing or stopping of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) which transports heat from the tropics B. The melting of glacial dams containing Agassiz Lake C. Partially fresh water from the Arctic mixing with the Atlantic Ocean D. The melting of the Laurentide ice sheet E. A 1,000 year long drought F. A mega flood of fresh water running into the Arctic Ocean

1. The melting of the Laurentide ice sheet 2. The melting of glacial dams containing Agassiz Lake 3. A mega flood of fresh water running into the Arctic Ocean 4. Partially fresh water from the Arctic mixing with the Atlantic Ocean 5. The slowing or stopping of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) 6. A 1,000 year long drought

Why has the Nile River remained in the same place for 30 million years?

A magma hot spot in Earth's interior creates a slope from Ethiopia to the Mediterranean Sea. Rivers tend to meander and change their path frequently, even annually. The Nile River is unique because it has remained in roughly the same location for 30 million years. A persistent hot spot under Ethiopia which leads to rising magma pushes up the Earth's crust creating the Ethiopian mountains. The Nile follows the slope from the mountains to the Mediterranean Sea. Although ancient Egyptians did create dams and canals which controlled the flow of the river, they did not alter the overall path of the river from Ethiopia to the Mediterranean in the Nile River Valley.

What allowed for sedentary behavior? A. A warmer, more stable climate B. A novel behavior of manipulating the environment to get resources C. Irrigation technology D. Dependable access to wild game and plants E. Agriculture

A warmer, more stable climate Dependable access to wild game and plants A warmer, more stable climate led to dependable access to wild game and plants without having to migrate seasonally. HFGs, however, did manipulate their environment to their benefit, such as burning forests and building walls to funnel herds, before developing sedentary lifestyles. Irrigation and agriculture were developed after sedentary behavior.

The Natufians A. lived 13,000 - 10,500 years ago in the Mesolithic B. developed the first sedentary society C. lived in the Levant region D. were egalitarian hunter-gatherers E. died out unexpectedly in the early Neolithic

A, B, C, D The Mesolithic Natufians were egalitarian hunter-gatherers that developed the first sedentary lifestyle in the Levant region. Into the Neolithic, they became more reliant on domesticated plants and animals and lived in villages year round.

Why is Göbekli Tepe so important? A. It was the first ever structure built by humans. B. The artwork features the human form rather than just animals. C. It showed the existence of social hierarchy. D. It shows collaboration between different HFG groups as a communal ritual site. E. It may provide a connection to the development of written language.

B, D, E While Göbekli Tepe was one of the first permanent structures to be built by humans, but there were many non-permanent structures built before the Göbekli Tepe. The Göbekli Tepe was a shared, communal site which required collaboration between different groups and tribes with artwork and T-structures that represent people. The architecture as well as communication between different tribes has led scientists to hypothesize that Göbekli Tepe might be a link to the development of written language.

What is the correct sequence of events? A. Hunter-Fisher-Gatherer, Farming, Sedentism B. Hunter-Fisher-Gatherer, Sedentism, Farming

Hunter-Fisher-Gatherer, Sedentism, Farming Sedentism pre-dates farming and agriculture. The existence of house mice living alongside humans 15,000 ya shows that humans were sedentary before beginning to farm.

What evidence is there for the Green Sahara? A mega lake in the Sahara larger than the great lakes combined Saharan dust flux from deep-sea sediment cores Pollen from grasses and sedges in sediment core records Detailed ancient artwork depicting hippos and giraffes

all of the above All of these lines of evidence led scientists to believe that there was a Green Sahara period ~11,000 to 5,000 years ago allowing Savannah animals to live in the Sahara.

What new technologies helped to support ancient Egypt's agriculture? A. New ways of record-keeping, such as calendars and the use of papyrus B. The nilometer to measure the depth of the Nile C. Water-lifting devices such as the shadoof and the noria D. Irrigation canals, dams, dikes, and water storage facilities

all of the above All of these new technologies were developed to maintain "the Mediterranean's richest breadbasket."

How did civilizations adapt to the unpredictable floodings of the rivers? A. They built large reservoir dams to store water. B. They used water lifts to transport water to flood furrowed fields. C. They used sluices and diversion ditches to drain fields

all of the above Because flooding was unpredictable, they had to adapt by inventing technologies that would help them when the rivers were at their highest and lowest.

Why is it important to understand the cause and impacts of the Younger Dryas? A. To predict the impact of current continental ice melt B. To understand the transition to agriculture in our ancestral history C. To understand the sustainability and survival of human civilization D. To know that climate changes can occur quickly

all of the above The Younger Dryas corresponds with the disappearance of the Clovis culture which was one of the first widespread cultures on the American continent. The drought during the Younger Dryas had a critical impact on the transition to depending on agriculture. Before studying the Younger Dryas and mega floods, scientists were reluctant to believe that geological processes impacting climate could happen so rapidly. Current global warming has led to polar ice melting which has feedback to global climate. Studying past climate events triggered by ice melt may help us predict future conditions.

What happened during the "4.2k event"? A. There was a shift in climate that led to aridification of the region B. There was a decline in rainfall C. The amount of water flowing in the rivers declined.

all of the above There was a cooling of near-surface ocean temperatures in the North Atlantic that coincided with the period, that could have changed the atmospheric circulation patterns. This pushed the rain into different latitude bands from where they had been for the previous several thousand years.

The benefits of farming were so abundant and apparent that HFGs switched to farming immediately when the technology was developed. true or false

false Early farmers actually spent more time and effort to acquire food than hunter-fisher-gatherers. The transition to farming was slow, stepwise, and in many cases people alternated between the lifestyles when it suited them or had a combination of both. In some cases the hunter-gatherers adopted the neighboring system of food production (cereal crops, pulse crops, and livestock) as a complete package; in others they chose only certain elements of it; and in still others they rejected food production entirely and remained hunter-gatherers. Ultimately though, they were displaced by neighboring farmers, or else they survived only by adopting food production themselves.

The relative scale of environmental manipulation was equivalent for HFGs and farming/herding communities. true or false

false While HFGs did manipulate their environment (e.g. through burns to promote grass growth, spreading seeds, hunting wild animals to collapse), farming/herding began an age of environmental impact on a much larger scale that has continued to today. The Agricultural Revolution led to deforestation to clear land or use ashes as fertilizer, desertification by diverting away natural water flow, removal of native plant species, large-scale urban development, changing the course of evolution for plants and animals through artificial selection of certain traits, soil erosion and nutrient depletion, mass extinction of wild animals in favor of domesticated ones. Today, wild animals are only 10% of all land animal biomass.

Times when the summer monsoons were less intense at the Blue Nile in Ethiopia (upstream river that flows into the Nile) led to: A. warfare with surrounding civilizations B. famine and instability C. civil unrest and political turnover D. excessive flooding E. a lack of fertile black silt in the soil

B. famine and instability C. civil unrest and political turnover E. a lack of fertile black silt in the soil The reduced intensity of summer monsoons in Ethiopia also reduced the summer flooding of the Nile, which the ancient Egyptians had grown dependent on. The lack of flood water and fertile soil reduced farming and food production leading to periods of famine and instability. This led to civil unrest and political turnover (revolts and then new leaders).

Over 80% of the water in the Nile River comes from the White Nile River originating at Lake Victoria 3,000 miles away. true or false

false Contrary to what was first believed, over 80% of the water in the Nile River actually comes from the Blue Nile River tributary originating at Lake Tana 3,000 miles away.

The African Humid Period, or Green Sahara, ~11,000 to 5,000 years ago, was an isolated event that occurred only once in the past 8 million years. true or false

false Green Sahara events have occurred 230 times in the past 8 million years caused by changes in the planet's wobble, tilt, and orbit that impact monsoons and climate.

Sedentism, or staying in one place rather than moving with the seasons, was the result of the development of agriculture. true or false

false Sedentism did not result from the development of agriculture, but rather the changes in climate that made access to wild food more reliable reducing the need to migrate with seasonal changes.

Large volcanic eruptions cause droughts in monsoon areas by releasing sulfurous gases and aerosols into the stratosphere which reflect solar radiation. true or false

true

How did the advent of agriculture radically change human cultural evolution? A. People began to value and take ownership of objects and property. B. A food surplus allowed for advancements in technology, arts, and trade. C. People began to see themselves as caretakers of the world rather than part of nature. D. Communities became more egalitarian.

A,B,C As People began to As food supply became more secure and dependable through farming and herding, people began to see themselves as caretakers, or "shepards," of the world which is reflected in religion. There was higher value in particular objects and locations because life was now sedentary rather than nomadic. With the storage of grains, there could be a surplus of food so people could do work outside of food collection. This allowed for advancements in technology, arts, and trade. As populations grew dramatically in localized areas, these communities actually became less egalitarian, with more social structure and the need for leadership.

What contributed to the desertification of the Sahara? A. A shift in Earth's natural orbital cycles B. Cooling of the northern hemisphere C. A southward shift of the monsoons D. Ancient Egyptians diverting water to farmlands

A. A shift in Earth's natural orbital cycles B. Cooling of the northern hemisphere C. A southward shift of the monsoons A shift in Earth's natural orbital cycles (Milankovitch cycles) led to the cooling of the northern hemisphere and a southward shift of the monsoons and a drought for Egypt. Humans diverting water did not impact the large-scale desertification of the Sahara. The Nile is a geological phenomena that it has remained in one path for millions of years.

Ancient Egyptian jobs and religion were based around the seasons. Match the ancient Egyptian seasons with the modern calendar months. Agriculture Season (Beret) Harvest Season (Shomu) Flood Season (Akht)

Agriculture Season (Beret): January-April Harvest Season (Shomu): June-August Flood Season (Akht): September-December

Which statement is false? A. Fermenting grain to make beer was developed as early as 10,000 years ago. B. Rigid social cooperation within Homo sapien clans ensured safety and survival, but discouraged exploration and inventiveness that make for a vibrant civilization. C. Around the world, beer was discovered accidentally while people were collecting grains to make bread. D. Beer provided the social liberation necessary to become more expansive in their thinking, as well as more collaborative and creative.

C. Around the world, beer was discovered accidentally while people were collecting grains to make bread. Recent evidence suggests that beer was actually being made before bread in many cases, as early as 10,000 years ago. Rigid social cooperation within Homo sapien clans did ensure safety and survival, and beer likely provided the social liberation from this rigidity that was necessary to become more expansive in their thinking, assisting the development of vibrant civilizations.

What was NOT an impact of the Agricultural Revolution? A. Specialization of labor B. Large organized communities C. More diverse diets D. The development of militias E. The development of new diseases

C. More diverse diets More diverse diets was not an impact of the Agricultural Revolution. It was quite the opposite, in fact. Farmers/herders, eating mostly grains supplemented with some meat, had less nutritious, less diverse diets than HFGs. This led to smaller brain size and new diseases related to diet (obesity, heart disease, diabetes). In addition, large organized communities were living in close quarters with other humans and also with animals, contributing to the spread of new parasites and pathogens (disease causing agents). Farming itself was also time consuming and required specialization of labor. New types of repetitive use injuries occurred, e.g. strain on knees and shoulders from grinding grains all day. Cereal grains were particularly valuable because they could be stored long term. However, someone needed to protect the storage of grain so militias developed and were dedicated to that task.

What is the paradox of farming/food production?

Farming communities were less well nourished than HFGs because human population densities rose slightly more steeply than did the availability of food. As described in the reading, the paradox is that food production, while increasing the quantity of edible calories per acre, left the food producers less well nourished than the hunter-gatherers whom they succeeded because of the positive feedback between food production and population growth. People did seek to maximize their return of calories, protein, or other specific food categories by foraging in a way that yields the most return with the greatest certainty in the least time for the least effort. While A and D are correct statements, they do not describe the paradox.

Studies of mouse molars from wild versus house mice revealed that:

Hunter-gatherers alternated between nomadic and sedentary lifestyles for thousands of years before settling into agriculture. The critical new understanding that resulted from this study on mice was the transitions back and forth from wild to house to wild to house mice dominating the mice population in the area - this meant that hunter-gatherers probably alternated between nomadic and sedentary lifestyles for thousands of years before settling into agriculture

Paleoenvironmental records from Mesoamerican lake sediment cores show that:

Precipitation increased between 12,000 - 9,000 years ago Forbs dominated until ~ 9,000 years ago Precipitation, measured by % titanium oxide, did increase from 12,000 - 9,000 years ago. Forbs, measured by % Forbs pollen, dominated until ~ 9,000 years ago when Ramon took over. Ramon dominated during the Holocene Thermal Maximum. The shift from Forbs (grasses) to Ramon (a tropic tree) indicated a shift from grasslands to rainforests.

What are the Milankovitch cycles?

The cycle of changes in Earth's wobble, tilt, and orbit The Milankovitch cycles are changes in Earth's wobble, tilt, and orbit that occur on a schedule of 20,000 to 100,000 years. The Milankovitch cycles affect global climate by changing the distribution of solar radiation and can lead to drought periods in Egypt. The annual cycle of rainfall in Ethiopia is called the monsoons.

What contributed to sedentary behavior in Mesoamerica ~ 9,000 years ago? A. Large, migratory herd animals disappeared B. The average position of the ITCZ shifted more northward C. The change in climate and accompanying increase in rainfall resulted in much of the environment changing from grasslands to seasonal tropical rainforests

all of the above Large, migratory herd animals disappeared due to a combination of climate and environmental changes (the climate warming coming out of the last glacial maximum) that resulted in the loss of the animals' preferred habit and food sources along with hunting pressure of the newly arrived hunter-fisher-gatherers to the region. With the loss of the migratory herd animals as a food source, the hunter-fisher-gathers had to adapt to meet their caloric needs and survive. Mesoamericans were forced to rely more heavily on localized food sources: smaller game animals and gathering nuts, seeds, and legumes. During this time, the average position of the ITCZ shifted more northward (rather than southward) thus bringing more rainfall over the course of a year to the areas that were previously grasslands. This additional rainfall supported the growth of trees that resulted in the ecosystem change from predominantly grasslands into seasonal tropical rainforests.

Mesopotamia is a Greek term that means "the land between rivers". The two rivers were the Nile River and Euphrates River. true or false

false The two rivers were the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Mesopotamia that pushed civilizations to adapt their farming techniques.

There was an area within the Fertile Crescent where most of the technological advancements occurred called the Garden Square. true or false

false There was an area in the northern region of the Fertile Crescent where most of the technological advancements, but it is called the Golden Triangle. It contains the structures of Göbekli Tepe among others.

Cuneiform is a type of building structure. true or false

false Cuneiform is a form of writing that was used by the Sumerians to record their annual amount of harvests, weather records, trade records, etc.

The Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is a band of rainfall in the tropics that is located farther south in the northern hemisphere summer than in the winter and is responsible for winter monsoons in India. true or false

false The ITCZ is located farther north in the northern hemisphere summer. It is responsible for the dramatic summer monsoons in India which account for 90% of their annual rainfall.

The transition to sedentism led to more community or tribe-oriented societies with less social hierarchy. true or false

false The transition to sedentism actually led to a departure from community or tribe-oriented societies with more emphasis on the importance of their family living in the structure that they built. This mentality led to the class system and private property. One line of evidence for self-importance is the development of art and religious idols that resemble humans rather than animals.

The Uruk model of city-states included houses that were spread out throughout the city. Each house had its own garden that they harvested. This model lacked walls that provided protection against enemies. true or false

false This model was the opposite. It included a center core with houses, merchants, etc. providing the majority of the structures around the temple. A wall was also built around the center core. Orchards and gardens for fruits and other more seasonal crops were looked after as a community.

Ancient Egyptian farmers experienced the same soil salinization problems as the Sumerians true or false

false Unlike the Sumerians, ancient Egyptians did not have the same soil salinization problems (a toxic build up of salts in the topsoil). This is because Egyptian fields were elevated above the river and were seasonally flooded in the summer and fall. When the water receded into the soil, there was no clay barrier so the salts were pulled away from the topsoil with the water, but the nutrient-rich fertile silt was left at the surface.

The three Intermediate Periods in the history of ancient Egypt mark the collapse of Egyptian governments (the Old, Middle, and then New Kingdom) caused by natural cycles of drought. true or false

true The Intermediate Periods did follow and mark the collapse of the Kingdoms. They were caused by the instability and famine from natural drought cycles.

The Younger Dryas was a small ice age that occured 13,000 years ago and lasted for 1,000 years. true or false

true About 14,500 years ago, Earth's climate began to shift from a cold glacial world to a warmer interglacial state. Partway through this transition, temperatures suddenly returned to near-glacial conditions which temporarily reversed the gradual climatic warming. This reversal event is called the Younger Dryas, a small ice age that occured 13,000 years ago and lasted for 1,000 years.

The south-easterly winds during the summer monsoon bring moist air from the ocean towards East Africa, thus causing heavy rainfall in Ethiopia from June to September. true or false

true Monsoons, which occur all over the world, are characterized by the switching of wind patterns in different seasons. In this region, the south-easterly winds (i.e. coming from the south-east) during the summer monsoon bring moist air from the ocean towards East Africa, thus causing heavy rainfall in Ethiopia from June to September.

An agricultural society dependent on the rivers made them vulnerable to enemies who were situated upstream. true or false

true Societies who lived upstream had the power to block, divert or manipulate water flow to those who lived downstream. This was a way to gain power or control over the downstream societies.