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2800 BCE
Introduction
There are around 795 million people in the world that do not lead a healthy active life because they do not have access to enough food. This one single variety of grain has fed and nourished more people over a longer period of time than any other crop. Throughout history, rice has been an important food for the human race and is a staple food in many countries. Photo credit: http://www.riceauthority.com/rice-varieties/ -
2800 BCE
The Beginning
The first documented account was authorization on rice planting by a Chinese emperor. People first began to farm rice in southern China and people learned to grow rice further south in Thailand. Photo Credit: http://www.herbhedgerow.co.uk/herb/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Rice1.png -
2500 BCE
The Bronze Age
The Bronze Age-In northern India, Ganges Valley, people were growing rice. Photo Credit: http://pt.slideshare.net/ebinrobinson/geographysubsistence-rice-farming-in-the-lower-ganges-valley -
300 BCE
The Silk Road
Rice reached West Asia and Greece with Silk Road traders (The Silk Road was a road in Asia where people would ride their camels and horses to one end of China to the other to trade silk).
It is believed when Alexander the Great invaded India, one of his priced possessions he brought back with him was rice. Photo Credit: http://www.lionfishsc.com/new-events-1/2015/10/23/silk-road-threads-a-lionfish-and-curated-feast-presentation -
27 BCE
Europe
Rice was being grown around the Mediterranean Sea, southern Europe and North Africa and Egypt. Photo Credit: http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/blogs/rice-paddies-glassy-landscapes-with-a-complex-history -
Jan 1, 800
Trading
Due to the trade with India and Indonesia, people in East Africa were also growing rice. Photo Credit: http://www.nap.edu/read/2305/chapter/4 -
Heading to North America
British settlers came to North America and brought rice with them. They were the first to cultivate rice in America, by accident. A ship was battered in a storm and the captain gifted rice for the repairs. It was planted in the southeast part of the continent (modern North and South Carolina) where the climate was just right for rice production. Photo Credit: http://bwomeninamericanhistory17.blogspot.com/2011/05/slaves-rice-cultivation-in-georgetown.html -
The Carolinas
Rice was established as a major crop for the British settlers. Farmers were growing "Carolina Gold Rice" in North and South Carolina and started to export 300 tons to Europe (Germany, Spain, Portugal).
In 1776, when America gained its independence, rice was one of the major agricultural businesses. Photo Credit: http://www.ricekingdom.com/maps.html -
The Gold Rush
People from all nations headed to California for the Gold Rush. There was an estimated 40,000 Chinese immigrants whose staple food was rice. Rice production became essential to feed the immigrants. Photo Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush -
Post Civil War
After the Civil War, the rich planters in the Carolinas gave up growing rice because their slaves were free. Although they gave up growing rice, other people across the South (Louisiana, Mississippi, and parts of Texas and California) started to grow rice. Photo Credit: https://afterslavery.wordpress.com/2013/12/10/documents-from-the-slaves-civil-war-a-storm-am-brewin-in-de-souf/ -
Presently
Rice has become a major agricultural product in the United States. Nearly 90% of rice is consumed within its borders in the U.S. Also the U.S. is the most advanced and innovative rice producer that is the largest exporter of rice in the world. Photo Credit: http://texasfarmbureau.org/u-s-rice-production-dropped-13-percent-2015/
