About 10 000 BCE, a major change occurred in the way humans lived, which would have a cascading effect on every part of human society and culture. That change was the Neolithic Revolution. 

The Neolithic Revolution: From Hunter-Gatherer to Agriculturalist

The beginning of the Neolithic Revolution is usually dated to 11 000 years ago, or 9000 BCE, beginning in the Fertile Crescent region of North Africa and stretching across Arabia. This transition to agriculture is associated with a change from a largely nomadic hunter-gatherer way of life to a more settled, agrarian-based one, with the beginning of the domestication of various plant and animal species—depending on the species locally available, and probably also influenced by local culture. 

Look at the map of the Fertile Crescent below. You might recall the map which showed the route that modern humans took out of Africa. If so, you can see how this overlaps. 

If you don't know where this is, have a look at a map of the world to locate it. Why do you think agriculture started here? What advantages did it offer? From our perspective today, what are the obvious disadvantages?

By User:NormanEinstein - Own workThis image was based on a similar map from the 1994 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=471913

It is not known why humans decided to begin cultivating plants and domesticating animals. While more labor-intensive, the people must have seen the relationship between cultivation of grains and an increase in population. The domestication of animals provided a new source of protein, through meat and milk, along with hides and wool, which allowed for the production of clothing and other objects. 

Source: Boundless. “The Neolithic Revolution.” Boundless World History I: Ancient Civilizations-Enlightenment. Boundless, 27 Jun. 2016. Retrieved 05 Jul. 2016