“The earliest human beings depended on their immediate environment for their sustenance.” Examine the statement with reference to hunting and gathering.
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It represents the lowest level of human technological intervention in the environment.
Solution and Explanation
• Hunting and gathering are the oldest known economic activities of humans.
• These activities reflect a stage where humans lived in total harmony with nature, representing "Environmental Determinism".
Step 1: Analyze dependence on nature
Early humans relied entirely on wild animals for meat and gathered edible plants, roots, and fruits from the forests for survival.
They had no control over the production of food and moved according to the availability of natural resources.
Step 2: Examine the characteristics of the lifestyle
Gatherers used simple tools made of stone or wood and required very little capital.
The yield per person was very low, and there was no surplus for trade; activities were purely for subsistence.
Step 3: Geographic distribution
This lifestyle was prevalent in extreme climates where agriculture was not possible.
Example: Even today, tribes in the Amazon basin, Arctic regions (Eskimos), and parts of South-East Asia practice primitive gathering.
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Hunting and Food Gathering
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