ANTHRO 2030 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Pastoralism, Herding, Social System
8 Sep 2018
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Document Summary
Humans live in a much wider range of environments than any other animal. They are characterized by low population densities and can only support certain types of subsistence strategies. (e. g. , the arctic) Other environments are rich, supporting larger populations and diverse subsistence systems. Productivity isn"t only determined by the environment. Technology, which is a cultural product, also matters. The same ecology can yield different productivities depending on the technology. The great plains of america supported a relatively small number of people. The los angeles basic supported a relatively small number of people. The great plains can support millions with industrial agriculture. Los angeles can support millions with irrigation. Technology allows humans to transform the environment, creating artificial environments, such as farms, cities and many different economic systems and forms of social organization. The way in which a society transforms the material resources of the environment into food.
