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U.P.P.C.S. Mains 2005

Prehistoric Human Evolution

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

The cultivation of cereals first started in-

Solution & Analysis

Answer: A

Concept The start of systematic agriculture is the defining feature of the 'Neolithic Revolution'.

Explanation Archaeological evidence across the 'Fertile Crescent' and India (Mehrgarh) confirms that the transition to farming cereals occurred in the Neolithic Age (c. 10,000–8,000 BCE).

Logical Breakup
Neolithic Age (A): Known as the 'New Stone Age' where humans settled into villages and farmed wheat, barley, and rice.
Mesolithic: Focused on hunting-gathering with the first signs of herding, but not large-scale cereal farming.

Active Recall

Question

Which were the first cereals to be domesticated?

Answer

Wheat and Barley were the first cereal grains to be systematically cultivated.

Core Insight

Cereal cultivation allowed for food surpluses, which in turn supported population growth and the development of the first human civilizations.

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