Introduction / Context:
The Agricultural Revolution describes the time when human societies shifted from a lifestyle based mainly on hunting and gathering to one based on settled farming and the domestication of plants and animals. This change happened thousands of years ago in several regions and marked the beginning of complex civilisation. The question asks how this revolution led to the need for organized government. Understanding this link helps learners see why permanent settlements often grew into villages, towns, and states.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The event described is the Agricultural Revolution.
- People began to farm, stay in one place, and produce food surpluses.
- The question focuses on the need for organized structures to manage new challenges.
- The options include unrealistic or humorous statements as well as one realistic explanation.
Concept / Approach:
When people became farmers, they stopped moving frequently in search of food and began to live in permanent settlements. Farming required planning for planting and harvest, storage of surplus crops, and management of water for irrigation. Disputes over land and resources became more common as populations grew. To coordinate shared tasks such as building canals, defending the settlement, and enforcing rules, communities developed systems of leadership and decision making. Over time, these grew into organized governments, with rulers, councils, and laws. Therefore, the Agricultural Revolution is often seen as a key step that pushed human societies towards more formal political structures. The correct answer must describe this need for organized government to manage land, water, and social order.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Recognise that farming leads to permanent settlements rather than constant movement.
2. Understand that permanent settlements require rules about who owns or uses which land and how water and other resources are shared.
3. Remember that as villages and towns grow, conflicts and security issues increase, creating a need for leaders and systems of law.
4. Examine the options and identify the one that mentions settled communities and organized government to manage land, water, and social order.
5. Eliminate options that talk about environmental perfection, the removal of all pests, ending technology, or forcing people to become nomads again, because these do not match historical reality.
6. Select the option that links the Agricultural Revolution to the creation of government.
Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, learners can recall that the earliest known civilisations, such as those in Mesopotamia and Egypt, arose in river valleys where farmers depended on irrigation and flood control. These projects required coordination and leadership. Archaeological and historical records show the development of kings, priests, and administrative systems to manage these tasks. No serious historical account claims that agriculture ended all environmental or pest problems or that it made government unnecessary. This evidence supports the idea that settled farming created conditions that made organized government useful and often essential.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Claiming that the Agricultural Revolution immediately ended all environmental problems is unrealistic; in fact, agriculture created new environmental challenges.
Saying that it removed all pests and ended any need for pest control does not reflect real farming experience, past or present.
Suggesting that it made technology unnecessary is the opposite of what happened; farming led to more tools and technological development.
Arguing that it forced everyone to become nomads again contradicts the basic idea of settling down to farm.
Common Pitfalls:
Some students may struggle to see how a change in food production could lead to political change, or they may focus only on the idea of food surplus without considering the need for rules and cooperation. Others might choose humorous sounding wrong answers without fully thinking about the historical logic. To avoid these mistakes, learners should picture early farming villages needing shared decisions about land, water, work, and defence, and should recognise that this type of cooperation is one of the early forms of government. This mental picture makes the correct answer easy to identify.
Final Answer:
The correct answer is
It created settled communities that needed organized government to manage land, water, and social order.
Discussion & Comments