When and Why did People Start Living in Cities Chapter 9 section 1 Text pages 259 - 272 When and Why did People Start Living in Cities

What is a City? City Urban Morphology Mix of buildings and people; forming a center of cultural, political, and economic activity Urban Morphology Layout of a city (form and structure)

Urbanization What’s urban? What’s rural? Build up of central city and suburbs What’s rural? Worldwide movement to cities (urbanization) All places not urbanizing at same rate: China just starting to become more urban Global population mostly urban Reflects globalization Most of Human history has been rural

Agriculture Cities require switch from hunting and gathering  agriculture Why? Agricultural villages Near subsistence living and egalitarian (share everything) Fertile Crescent = 1st agricultural hearth, about 8,000 years ago Indus River Valley and Mesoamerica followed

Formation of Cities Required Agricultural Surplus and Social Stratification Leadership Class No agricultural work focus on politics, writing, law, etc. Religion supports rulers Collects taxes for defense and profit Development of Cities 3500 BCE = 1st Urban Revolution World still mostly rural, urban centers are exceptions Economic activities besides agriculture Specialty crafts, military, trade, and government Arable land, water, and defensibility were key to formation Disease kept populations down Small populations compared to today (10-15,000)

FIVE Hearths Independent Invention Hearths Mesopotamia (area of Fertile Crescent) 3500 BCE major structures where ziggurats (temples) Nile River Valley (Egypt) 3200 BCE lacked walls due to singular control of the area Indus River Valley (India) 2200 BCE believed to have leader class but lacks evidence of social stratification Huang He River Valley (China) 1500 BCE Massive structures and monuments Mesoamerica (Mexico and the Yucatan) 200 BCE Maya and Olmec

Roles of Ancient Cities Centers of: Religion Power Economy Education Invention (metallurgy, technology, infrastructure, etc.)

What are the roles of cities today?

Site Absolute location of a city What’s absolute location? EXAMPLE: The site where New York City is located can be found at 40.7127° N, 74.0059° W Important because features of a site can impact: Trade Defense Relevance

Situation Relative location of a city as well as its place in the region and world around it What’s relative location? EXAMPLE: New York is situated in the north eastern United States as a global economic, cultural, and political center

The Mediterranean Where is it? Etruscan and Minoan civilizations

Greece Cities developed from 800-500 BCE Network of hundreds of cities connected by trade Hilly terrain allowed them to not have to build mounds for temples Acropolis (high point in the city) place for temples (the Parthenon) Largest cities: Sparta and Athens (250,000 people)

Greece Public Spaces – wider and more open Problems Impact Agora (central point and center of athletic, artistic, spiritual and political life of the city) Theatres Problems Poor housing Slave labor unsanitary Impact Influenced Rome  Spread to Europe and influenced western society  colonialism and capitalism spread ideas about cities to the world

Rome Largest urban system yet Empire incorporated a greater area Rome = capital Hierarchy of settlements (villages to major cities) Extensive transportation systems Thousands of miles of roads helped connect and hold together the empire Established sea routes Trading ports and posts Public Spaces Forum – combined acropolis and agora Coliseums – largest in Rome with greater towns having greater coliseums Problems 1/3 – ½ of the population are slaves Overcrowded tenements Poor sanitation

European Exploration Before exploration sites for cities had been inland Land based trade made the situations of these cities favorable Routes like the Silk Road sustained cities through trade Exploration and Oceanic Trade Refocused the situation of power from inland to coastal cities Exploration  colonialism Brought vast wealth to Europe

Second Urban Revolution World still primarily rural in late 18th century Industrial Revolution Great Britain Draws people to cities URBANIZATION! Second Agricultural Revolution More food Less agricultural workers New inventions: seed drill, hybrid seeds, and improved breeding practices

Workers Rights Still not Recognized Worldwide

Site and Situation change in the Industrial Revolution Not every mercantilist city saw growth Resources at the site of a city determined importance Situations changed based on proximity to resources Fresh moving water Coal Iron ore Steam Engines: allow for more machinery in factories and greater ease of transportation so cities not situated near resources could take part in industrialization as well Negatives Pollution Unsanitary conditions Lack of affordable housing for many Poor working conditions Child labor

Latter 20th Century Communist ideas of Fredrick Engles and Karl Marx Workers’ rights recognized But Rapid growth, poor planning, immigration  slums and ghettos Cities and companies moved factories out of urban areas creating Rust Belts