In what regions did the Neolithic revolution occur?

The Neolithic Revolution, which is also referred to as the Agricultural Revolution, occurred independently in various parts of the world at different times. It marked the transition from nomadic hunting and gathering to settled agricultural communities. The key regions where the Neolithic Revolution took place include:

1. The Fertile Crescent: This area in the Middle East, which extends from the Nile Valley in Egypt through the Levant (modern-day countries include Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan) to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), is typically cited as the first region to undergo this transformation, around 10,000 BCE.

2. East Asia: In the Yellow River Valley of China, agriculture also developed independently. Rice cultivation began to be domesticated in the Yangtze River basin, as well.

3. Mesoamerica: Corn (maize), beans, and squash were domesticated in the region that covers southern Mexico through Central America, giving rise to substantial agrarian societies.

4. The Andean region of South America: Potatoes and quinoa are among the crops domesticated by people living in the area of present-day Peru and Bolivia.

5. Sub-Saharan Africa: Areas such as the Niger Delta saw the development of agriculture with the cultivation of crops like sorghum and yams.

6. The Eastern United States: Indigenous communities domesticated sunflower, sumpweed, and other crops prior to European contact.

7. The New Guinea highlands: Agriculture developed with crops such as taro and bananas.

It is important to note that these transformations did not occur overnight but developed over thousands of years with different regions adopting agriculture at their own pace.