The development of writing enabled knowledge to be stored and communicated across generations with much greater fidelity. Combined with the development of agriculture, which allowed for a surplus of food, it became possible for early civilizations to develop, because more time and effort could be devoted to tasks (other than food production) than hunter-gatherers or early subsistence farmers had available. This surplus allowed a community to support individuals who did things other than work towards bare survival. These other tasks included systematic studies of nature, study of written information gathered and recorded by others, and often of adding to that body of information. COUNT 5
QSN1 The advancement of agriculture made what possible? ANS1 a surplus of food QSN2 Having a surplus of food allowed farmers and hunter-gatherers to spend less time working on what? ANS2 food production QSN3 Before agriculture advancements, what were farmers having to do? ANS3 work towards bare survival QSN4 What advancement aided in spreading knowledge across generations? ANS4 The development of writing QSN5 Who was able to support the people who were adding to the written knowledge of nature? ANS5 community