Prehistoric village in Israel links old and new stone ages

The transition from the Paleolithic Era to the Neolithic Era is defined as the discovery of the twin technologies that comprise agriculture: animal husbandry and farming. The oldest evidence of these discoveries date to 12,000 years ago, 100 centuries B.C. We actually don't have enough distinct evidence to determine whether tending flocks or cultivating plants was the first of these two paradigm-shifting technologies. Either of them urges a species who were nomads for tens of thousands of years to suddenly settle in one place and build permanent homes. Once you're settled down to tend your garden, the idea of maintaining a flock of animals (especially scavengers like pigs, dogs and goats, who tamed themselves in order to enjoy the easy life of eating our garbage) is not rocket science. And the converse is just as true. If you keep a flock of yaks, reindeer, lamas, goats or turkeys, you'll eventually notice the seeds you throw away sprouting in the community soil that is considerably damper than than the wilderness.

Some technologies spread quickly from one tribe to another, for example the wheel, which by definition allows people to travel long distances. Others are more likely to be discovered independently, like writing. Agriculture seems to be in the latter category. While Mesopotamia was clearly the first place where people began tending flocks and gardens, farming and animal husbandry arose independently in several other places at later times, including India, China, Egypt, Central America and South America.

When the Christian marauders landed in eastern North America, they found agricultural communities that had developed trading networks and seemed well on their way to establishing civilization. But their animal husbandry was impeded by the fact that the largest animal they had managed to domesticate so far was the turkey.