Using Subsistence Strategies

Asking some questions

When you sit down to figure out subsistence strategies, you should ask yourself several questions based on the type(s) of subsistence strategies the people in your world use. The following is a list of questions based on the known human subsistence strategies. It is by no means an exhaustive list. It's only purpose is to warm up your creative juices and get you thinking. Click on a strategy below to jump to its questions

• foraging
• pastoralism
• horticulture
• agriculture

Foraging

• Where do the people live? What is the environment like? How big is their home range? How often do they move? What type of shelter do they build? What is it made of?
• What sorts of plants do the people gather? Are there plants that serve specific purposes (eating, medicine, magic). What are these plants? Where do they grow? How do the people gather them?
• What sorts of animals do the people hunt? Are they large animals, small animals, herd animals, fish, or what? What techniques do the people use to hunt the animals? Are there animals that are hunted only at certain times during the year? Why? Are there some animals considered sacred? Why? Are there some animals whose meat is considered taboo or magical? What animals? Why? What kind of tools do the foragers use to hunt?
• What sort of foraging society is this group of people? Are they pedestrian? Are they equestrian? Are they aquatic?

Pastoralism

• What is the group's primary animal? Cow? Sheep? Horse? Something else? Why do the people use this animal? What secondary animals does the group use? Why?
• How big is the group's home range? How far do they travel? Are they nomadic or transhumant? Where does the group live? Why are they in the region? Are they friendly with other peoples in the region? Do they raid local settlements? If so, what do they take? How often do they carry out the raids?
• What are the important ceremonies of the group and how does the primary animal fit in?
• What sorts of foods does the group make from the animal's milk? How is it made? When does the group eat the meat of the primary animal? Are these occasions especially ritualistic? Do important ceremonies take place during the eating of this meat? Why? What kind of ceremonies?

Horticulture

• Where does the group live? What is the environment like? What sorts of plants grow in that environment? What crops does the group plant? When do they plant them? How often do they plant them?
• What kind of animals does the group raise? How many of these animals do they keep? Are these animals considered valuable? How and why? Are the animals domesticated? What sorts of domesticated animals does the group have? Are they used for food, hunting, or as pets?
• What kind of homes does the group live in? What material is used to make them? How often does the group have to move?
• If the group is permanently settled, are they often attacked or raided by other peoples? Why? How does the group defend itself? How does the group wage war?

Agriculture

• Is the group industrialized? What sorts of machinery do they use to raise crops? How is this machinery paid for? Who developed the technology?
• What is the primary crop the group raises? What are the secondary crops? How are the crops raised? On a plantation? By peasants? On a mechanized farm? Are the crops used locally or are they exported? Who owns the farms? Do the people who work on the farm own it? What law govern the raising of the crops? Are they legal? What laws govern the import and export of the crops? What kinds of taxes and tariffs are placed on the crops?
• What kinds of animals does the group raise? How do they raise the animals? What are the animals used for? Are they eaten? Are they used for labor? Are they used for their milk? Are they used for pets? Are the animals used locally or are they exported? What laws govern the raising of the animals? Are they legal? What laws govern the import and export of the animals? What kind of taxes and tariffs placed on the animals?
• Are there foods that are considered exotic or prestigious to eat? What are they? Why are these foods held in high regard? How do people get them? How expensive is the food?
• What is the political structure like? How is wealth distributed? Who has all of the political power? Who has all of the economic power?
• Where are the major urban centers located? What sort of environment are they located in? Where is the nearest water source? How far away from food producing sources are they?
• What are the urban center names? How old are they? How many people live in each center? How big are they? What is the infrastructure like? Who maintains law and order? Who has political power in the urban centers? What specialists live in the urban centers? Are certain centers known for a specific kind of product or service? What are kinds of artistic innovations are going on in these urban centers? What sorts of intellectual innovations are going on?
• How does the group wage war? Are their paid soldiers or conscripts? Who are the group's enemies? Who are their allies? How are foreigners treated in these urban centers?
• How do people who perform certain tasks viewed? Do some people perform jobs that are considered disgusting or sacrilegious? How are these people treated? How are they treated by the laws?

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