What was the dominant form of human subsistence for 99% of human history?

The dominant form of human subsistence for 99% of human history is hunting and gathering, often referred to as foraging. This form of subsistence involved small groups of people relying on wild plants and animals for food, which shaped human societies over millennia.

Hunting and gathering activities allowed early humans to adapt to diverse environments, and it played a crucial role in the development of social structures, cultures, and even language. For much of our evolutionary history, this mode of subsistence ensured a varied diet and required a deep knowledge of the surrounding ecosystem, which ultimately influenced population dynamics, mobility patterns, and community organization.

In contrast, agriculture, industrialization, and horticulture represent more recent developments in human history. Agriculture, which involves the domestication of plants and animals, began only about 10,000 years ago. Industrialization came much later, transforming subsistence methods and societal structures dramatically in the last few centuries. Horticulture, while also involving the cultivation of crops, is more limited in scope compared to full-scale agriculture and has been practiced for a shorter duration in the context of human evolution. Thus, hunting and gathering remains the correct answer as it encompasses the longest period of human subsistence.