Beginning of Essay
Since mankind's earliest beginnings, man has had to deal with the basic need of providing himself with food. From the simplest means of accomplishing this goal, which include hunting and gathering and nomadic herding, to the complex farms of today which employ h ....

Middle of Essay
.... This can clearly be demonstrated through the fact that all major ancient civilizations including Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, and India were founded upon a stationary, river-based agricultural system ("Agriculture" Encarta 1999). Similarly, technological advances in the field of agriculture in more recent times have led not only to improved farming techniques and productivity, but have had the far-reaching effects of allowing man the freedom to concentrate his energies on industry and cultural advancement, rather than mere subsistence living. To fully understand the advances made in and resulting from agriculture since the seventeenth century, ....