Important Moments Of World History: The Neolithic Revolution

During the Neolithic Revolution 12,000 years ago, nomadic tribes began to settle and develop agriculture, they turned from water to a more complicated beverage--beer. Up until this point, humans drank almost nothing except water because there was nothing else available. Water is a very important part of life on Earth. It makes up eighty percent of the human body. Humans were living in small, nomadic tribes at the time in places like Africa and the Fertile Crescent. They hunted to survive using tools like bow and arrows, spears, and fishhooks. Additionally, to have a constant supply of water, they followed tit wherever it was available, making them nomadic. Satisfying their search for replenishing their bodies with liquid, several different beverages emerged throughout history. These beverages include beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola. The drink was influential during this time by … repeat for other 4. The shift from water to beer was the most influential in human history because it caused the Neolithic Revolution, contributed to motivating advances in new technologies and became part of the first religions on earth.

Beer was more influential than any of the other drinks because it caused the Neolithic revolution. Agriculture was the main reason that humans settled down. Nomadic tribes traveling through the Fertile Crescent learned how to plant seeds and convert crops into food. The process of trial and error, which led to the discovery of beer, was slow and tedious, like the process of evolution itself. These early farmers eventually learned how to make beer. They grew wheat grains, then soaked them in water for long periods of time, then let this mixture sit, open to the air. This process is now known as fermentation (chapter 1).

Agriculturalists used techniques like planting and plowing to harvest grains. “Such grains provided an unexciting but reliable source of food” (Standage 12). The grain was mostly flavorless, but they offered a very reliable form of nutrition. One advantage of grain was that it could be stored away for years and not spoil if it was kept dry. Because they had a stable, reliable food source, the nomadic people started to stay in one place and were no longer nomadic. They eventually stopped moving and built themselves permanent homes, which started the Neolithic Revolution. With permanent homes, agriculturalists had more time to themselves, and more time to experiment with grains. When farmers had access to new food sources, beer was one of the many inventions that followed.

Another reason why beer was the most influential beverage in history was that it contributed to motivating advances in technologies. After Agriculturalists in the Fertile Crescent discovered fermentation, they experimented with different tools and technologies to improve their ability to make more beer. Following the golden age of Mesopotamia and Egypt, the dominant civilization of the Middle East was Sumer. Sumerians were the first to develop elaborate canal systems for irrigation for their grain crops to ensure that they could make enough beer to last until the next harvest season (printed). The Sumerians also created a language called cuneiform. Beer was so important that its recipe was drawn on a tablet. It is the oldest written recipe. Beer even had its own symbol in cuneiform. It looks like a jar (chap 2).

In cities in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and elsewhere, agricultural surpluses paved the way for advanced civilizations. This occurred because, with a surplus of grain, bread, and beer, some people could afford to not work full-time, meaning humans could focus on engineering, architecture, political, and artistic tasks. The surplus of grain also made it possible for civilizations to invest in large public works, such as canals and pyramids because they had extra workers to build them. The Egyptians also used beer as a sedative during surgeries, in medical concoctions, and medical recipes (Standage 38). Finally, Egyptians were buried with beer, so that they would have riches to take with them in the afterlife. Even common Egyptians, who didn’t have the wealth to be buried in elaborate tombs, were buried with beer (chap 2).

Beer was the most influential beverage in local society because it connected to the local rituals and religions. For many early agricultural societies like the Sumerians, drinking beer was an important part of their customs. Drinking is different from eating in the sense that a drink can be shared. It can be taken from the same source so that it tastes the same and be measured and shared equally. For example, when cutting up a piece of meat, even if it is cut perfectly in half, one will inevitably taste or look better. In this way, drinking beer became an important act of bonding and friendship. Beer was also a religious drink since the state of intoxication was believed to bring a man closer to the realm of the Gods (chap 1). For example, in Egypt, it was believed that beer was invented by the God Osiris. Beer was used as a religious offering throughout the ancient world. In ancient Egypt, beer was believed to have divine origins, and to cure diseases. In many ancient legends like in Egypt, beer connected directly with health, life, and happiness (chap 2). Unlike other beverages, one advantage of beer was it is very nutritious. Beer usually contained whole grains, particles of yeast, meaning that beer contained large amounts of protein and vitamins. Beer was also safer to drink than water since it had to be boiled during the process of making it. The boiling process kills all diseased bacteria in the beverage (Standage 21-22). In Mesopotamia beer was seen as a symbol of civilization, and when you drank beer you were considered a mature man. Only the richest and most elite had access to beer (chap 1).

Beer was the most influential beverage in human history because it caused the Neolithic Revolution, contributed to motivating advances in new technologies and became a part of the first religions on earth. Beer was a crucial part of the success of human history—it provided a nutritious, safe drink that gave agricultural societies an advantage over nomadic tribes. Agriculture was adopted by other societies largely because farming could make a large supply of grains that were used to brew beer. The wide popularity of beer among ancient societies, and its place in ancient rituals and religious ceremonies, proves that beer made it possible for humans to advance and had a bigger effect on human history than any other drink.