Which of the following is a feature of agricultural societies?

Which of the following is a feature of agricultural societies?

• A. Plow use and increased productivity
• B. Absence of technology
• C. Subsistence-only through foraging
• D. Stateless governance

Answer: (A)

Farming introduces ways to boost food production, and a key tool that makes this possible is the plow. Using a plow increases how much land can be worked and how much crop can be produced in a given time, raising overall productivity. This boost in output supports larger, settled communities, a surplus of food, and opportunities for people to specialize in crafts, trade, and governance—features that characterize agricultural societies. Abstaining from technology isn’t accurate because farming itself relies on tools and techniques. Relying solely on foraging describes hunter-gatherer societies, not agricultural ones. Stateless governance isn’t a defining trait here either, since surpluses and larger populations that come with farming often lead to more organized social and political structures.

Farming introduces ways to boost food production, and a key tool that makes this possible is the plow. Using a plow increases how much land can be worked and how much crop can be produced in a given time, raising overall productivity. This boost in output supports larger, settled communities, a surplus of food, and opportunities for people to specialize in crafts, trade, and governance—features that characterize agricultural societies.

Abstaining from technology isn’t accurate because farming itself relies on tools and techniques. Relying solely on foraging describes hunter-gatherer societies, not agricultural ones. Stateless governance isn’t a defining trait here either, since surpluses and larger populations that come with farming often lead to more organized social and political structures.