We introduce this chapter with a partial discussion of the conceptual framework that underlies the research on the Agricultural Revolution (Glossary, General Terms, Agricultural Revolution). We first explain how hunter-gatherers gained their knowledge and put it to use. We then present key ideas that have been offered throughout the years to explain the advent of the Agricultural Revolution. Many researchers have attempted to answer the question of why the Agricultural Revolution occurred. Some answers are broad, driven by a perception that human action is a reaction to some external force(s). Others emphasize the social dynamics that might have led to this revolution. Most of these explanations were formulated during the last half of the twentieth century. To facilitate a better understanding of these views, we will elaborate on prevalent research perceptions regarding plant domestication (Glossary, General Terms, Plant domestication), which was central to the Agricultural Revolution.