Types of societies in sociology

Have you ever wondered what Society was like before your lifetime. Maybe you wonder in
what ways has society transformed in the past few centuries. Human beings have created and lived
in several types of societies throughout history. Sociologists have classified the different types of
societies into six categories. Each of which possesses their own unique characteristics :
- Hunting and Gathering societies,
- Pastoral societies,
- Horticultural societies
- Agricultural societies
- Industrial societies
- Post industrial societies
Hunting and Gathering societies are the earliest form of society the members survive primarily
by hunting trapping fishing and Gathering edible plants. The majority of the members time is spent
looking for and Gathering food at hunting and Gathering. Society has five characteristics one family
is the society's primary institution family determines the distribution of food and how to socialize.
Children to these societies are small compared to the others they generally have less than 50
members. Three hunting and Gathering societies are nomadic which means that they move
constantly in order to find food and water. Four members of hunting and Gathering societies are
mutually dependent upon each other. Although there is equal division of labor among the members
of hunting and Gathering societies there is a division of labor based on sex men are typically
responsible for hunting and women are typically gatherers. Pastoral societies began around 12,000
years ago; these societies rely on products obtained through the domestication and breeding of
animals for transportation in food. Pastoral societies are common in areas where crops cannot be
supported. For example in North Africa unlike hunting and Gathering societies pastoral societies
only have to move when the land in which the animals graze is no longer usable. Pastoral societies
also allowed for job specialization since not everyone is needed to gather or hunt for food. For
example while some people breed animals others are able to produce tools or clothing which allows
for specialization in these areas. Horicultural societies emerged between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago
in Latin America Asia and parts of the Middle East. These societies rely on the cultivation of fruits
vegetables and plants in order to survive. Horticultural societies are often forced to relocate when the
resources of the land are depleted or when the water supplies decrease also referred to as agrarian
societies. Agricultural societies rely on the use of technology in order to cultivate crops in large areas
including wheat rice and corn. The technological advances led to an increase in food supplies an
increase in population and the development of Trade Centers. This period of technological changes
is referred to as the Agricultural Revolution and began around 8,500 years ago agricultural societies
developed roughly in this order. Animals are used to pull plows plowing allows for cultivation of
larger areas of land soil areation caused by plowing leads to higher crop yields over longer periods
of time high volumes of food production; allow people to build permanent homes in a single location
to develop which eventually grow into cities. Job specialization increases as high yield crops allow
people to focus on skills and crafts other than farming. Fewer people are involved with food
production and economies diversify as a result industrial societies were developed with the Industrial
Revolution that started around 1769. The Industrial Revolution began with England's Improvement
and use of the steam engine as a way to power machines. Industrial societies rely on Advanced energy
sources in order to run Machinery changes that occurred in industrialized societies include
Innovations in transportation including the creation of automobiles. The train and steam ship newly
developed transportations allowed people and goods to travel longer distances since fewer people
were needed to cultivate food. Urban societies were developed for the first time more people lived
in or near major cities than in farming areas Suburban communities were developed the development
of mass forms of communication increased job specialization and the ability to harness electricity.
Post-industrial societies have emerged in recent decades rather than focusing on production these
societies are economically focused on providing services and technology the development and
advancement of computer technology television and the creation of radio are all associated with the
development of post industrial societies. The three characteristics associated with a post-industrial
society are one focus on ideas instead of tangible goods as the driving force in economy two need for
higher education due to the increased focus on information and Technology three shift in workplace
from cities to homes as technological advances have allowed work to be conducted in places other
than offices there have been six types of societies throughout history hunting and Gathering societies
pastoral societies horiculture societies agricultural societies industrial societies post-industrial
societies hunting and Gathering societies are the earliest form of society while post-industrial is the
most recent modern day America is an example of a post-industrial society that is driven by ideas
technology and services Auto scroll.