Table of Contents
Points of Divergence : Agriculture
Human beings need to consume food and water on a regular basis, and gathering a sufficient food supply has been a great concern (but also a kickstarter of innovation) for virtually every society since the dawn of history. Among the greatest technological and societal revolutions of all time was the gradual invention of true agriculture, with fully domesticated plants and animals. It brought an end to the mostly nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle of human prehistory and gave birth to the earliest of known, settled civilizations.
Over the millennia, agriculture has further diversified and many crops that were once native to only one region of Earth have often become cosmopolitan and widespread thanks to the steady rise of global trade and geographic exploration. As an old saying goes, “An army marches on its stomach” - and therefore, even something as seemingly mundane as agriculture can massively affect the development of human civilization, even moreso than the usual idea of wars, battles, cunning diplomacy or ideological upheavals.
PODs concerning different developments of agriculture
- For Want of A Yam - Discussion on Australian native plants that could have potentially become the basis of a native Australian agriculture (and later leads to the rise of agricultural civilizations on the continent). Started by Jared, this became the basis for his highly ambitious and increasingly famous project, Lands of Red and Gold.
- Mexican Mound-builders, Mississippian Ziggurats - POD discussion that became part of the basis of Mississippi Rice timeline.
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PODs concerning ATL domesticated or domesticable crops
- For Want of A Yam - Discussion on Australian native plants that could have potentially become the basis of a native Australian agriculture (and later leads to the rise of agricultural civilizations on the continent). Started by Jared, this became the basis for his highly ambitious and increasingly famous project, Lands of Red and Gold.
- Know of any PODs or POD discussions ? Feel free to add them.
PODs concerning ATL domesticated or domesticable animals
a.) In general
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b.) By continent
Africa
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Asia
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The Americas
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Australia
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c.) Alternate livestock
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d.) Alternate horse and camelid domestications and developments
- DBWI: Horse cavalry - Though a more humourous POD discussion, it is interesting to ponder how different would humanity be if horses and mules were not domesticable for riding.
- DBWI: Horses - Another thread in a vein similar to the above one, with horses never being domesticated by humans.
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e.) Alternate cavalry animals and beasts of burden
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f.) Domestication of reptiles and predators
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See Also
Points of Divergence : Alternate Biology
Points of Divergence : Biological Sciences
Points of Divergence : Culinary Habits
Points of Divergence : Clothing and Fashion
Points of Divergence : Economy and Trade
Points of Divergence : Scientific Discoveries and Inventions
Points of Divergence : Natural Disasters
Resources about agriculture and its historical development