Neolithic refers to an economic transformation that involved the domestication of wild food resources and the establishment of permanent settlement. Neolithic is regarded as an economic and technological milestone. The Neolithic revolution began to transform human society around the would form around 10,000 B.C.E. It is thus viewed as a long period of revolutionary change lasting from about 10,000 to about 3000 B.C.E. in which many thousands of years of human interaction with nature led to food production through agriculture and the domestication of animals.The later guaranteed a permanent supply of animal food available at all times without the trouble and risk of hunting, and of secondary products like milk to drink, skins and hair for garments. The former produced enough vegetable food to be stored until the next harvest and used as required.
The achievement of food production let humans develop new, settled forms of communities and then civilization itself. Thus with the Neolithic revolution the hunting of wild animals was replaced by the domestication of livestock such as pigs, sheep, goats, and cattle as the main source of meat, while the gathering of plants was supplanted by the cultivation of crops.
It believed that the first Neolithic revolution occurred in Mesopotamia in what is now day Iraq. In west Africa, Neolithic farmers domesticated many plants, including millet, sorghum and yams.
Neolithic revolution was responsible for many fundamental inventions and innovations. McKay highlights a number of changes which were brought about by the Neolithic revolution.
Emergency of permanent settlement. The main push towards this was the people's reliance on farming for their livelihood. This forced them to settle permanently in villages and built houses. In the beginning villages were small, consisting of few households. When population expanded villages developed into towns.
Led to emergency of large scale trade. This was possible because some surpluses of food were exchanged with other commodities from one society to another.
Development of more complex social structure. Food surpluses that emerged from Neolithic revolution pushed some people into engaging in other tasks such as craftsmen, merchants, artisans and traders.
Population expanded. This was possible because of food availability to feed the community so with that fact people increased.
Led development of towns and cities.
