The Neolithic Revolution was the transition of humans from a Paleolithic hunter-gatherer species to an agricultural species. It began about 10,000 years ago among various groups of people around the world, having no specific place of origin but occurring in many places over time. Historians believe that the revolution began as a response to a number of problems, the main one being climate change. The end of the most recent ice age led to an increase in the earth's overall temperature. This caused large amounts of ice from the urns to retreat backwards, opening up space for habitable land. Because of the warmer conditions, the soil was also more fertile and easier to cultivate. As a result of this early humans found a way to have a relatively constant supply of food and were able to settle. This is essentially what began the foundation of how we maintain ourselves as a species today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayThanks to the Neolithic Revolution, humans were able to have something they had never had before, large surpluses of food, which meant that multiple people could live in one area at the same time. Settlements began to grow and people from all regions gravitated towards a certain area which led to more diverse populations. This is different from hunter-gatherer packs which usually consisted of nuclear and extended families. Because of these larger populations and food surpluses, someone was needed to supervise them. This is where the government came into play. Leaders were chosen to track and distribute food properly. These leaders were trained by military leaders, they turned into kings, then prime ministers and presidents. Government is now a focal point of every human society. The Neolithic Revolution also caused the beginning of social stratification. Some people had larger surpluses than others and were able to sell some of the food. They became wealthier and were able to afford and build bigger homes, better land, tools, clothing, and more. Since these times the disparities between rich and poor have only grown with the richest 1% of people (in terms of income) owning 50% of the wealth. The Neolithic revolution also led to the rise of patriarchy, women were seen as inferior to men, most likely due to men's role as hunters in the Paleolithic and women's role as nurturers, who bore and cared more children because families needed more people to work in the fields. They began to be discriminated against and unfortunately patriarchal societies still exist today and have had lasting effects on women's rights around the world. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Finally, trade was developed greatly due to the shift to agriculture. Groups of people exchanged goods they had for goods they needed, in modern times, trade (exports) contributes to a large part of our economy.