ABSTRACT
Ever since humans ceased to be hunter-gathers wandering the expansive plains of Africa we have relied upon the built environment to meet our daily needs of food, water, and shelter. We formed villages to shelter us, developed systems to bring fresh water to us, and devised ways to keep our food stocks close and easily accessible. In essence, we went from a nomadic people to a stationary society; no longer coping with climate changes through migration. We had to plan for, and endure, the rough times. According to Sir Isaac Newton’s third law of motion, “every action has an opposite and equal reaction.” The reactions that occurred as we shifted from a nomadic lifestyle to a stationary society were new conditions and circumstances that affected, and continue to affect, our physical, psychological, and social health.
