1. Unit VII: Cities and Urban Land Use

2. A. Basic Question: Why Cities?
Cities exist for many reasons:
Collective need for defense
Sacred site
Humans are social animals
The most compelling modern reason?
ECONOMICS

3. B. Markets and Cities Market is nothing but Buyers Sellers
These two parties negotiate a price and buy/sell
Cities provide the physical space for the transaction to occur

4. C. Definitions
City – a conglomeration of people and buildings clustered together to serve as a center of politics, culture, and economics.
Urban: The buildup of the central city and the suburban realm – the city and the surrounding environments connected to the city.

5. D. 1st Urban Revolution Two components enable the formation of cities:
1. an agricultural surplus
2. social stratification
(a leadership class; upper and middle classes)

6. Five Hearths of Urbanization
In each of these hearths, an agricultural surplus and social stratification created the conditions necessary for cities to form and be maintained.

7. E. Indus River Valley
Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were two of the first cities of the Indus River Valley.
intricately planned
houses equal in size
no palaces
no monuments

8. F. Huang He and Wei River Valleys
The Chinese purposefully planned their cities.
centered on a vertical structure
inner wall built around center
temples and palaces for the leadership class
Terracotta Warriors guarding the tomb of the Chinese Emperor Qin

10. G. Mesoamerica Mayan and Aztec Civilizations
Many ancient cities were theocratic centers where rulers were deemed to have divine authority and were god-kings.

11. Mesoamerica
Between 300 and 900 CE, Altun Ha, Belize served as a thriving trade and distribution center for the Caribbean merchant canoe traffic.

12. H. Diffusion of Urbanization
The Greek Cities - by 500 BCE, Greeks were highly urbanized.
Network of more than 500 cities and towns
On the mainland and on islands
Each city had an acropolis and an agora

13. Athens, Greece
the agora
the acropolis

14. H. Diffusion of Urbanization
The Roman Cities - a system of cities and small towns, linked together with hundreds of miles of roads and sea routes.
Rome was the first city in the world with a million people
Cities with the Roman influence also had streets in a grid like pattern
With an identifiable center
“All roads lead to Rome”

15. Roman Empire

16. The Roman Forum
Aqueducts in Nimes, France

17. H. Diffusion of Urbanization
Pre-industrial Europe
The new city was centered around a marketplace
Focus of activity on ports and waterways
Venice became an extremely influential city
Population separated based on occupations (guilds) or identity

18. During the mercantile era, the cities that thrived were embellished by wealthy merchant families, who built ornate mansions, patronized the arts, participated in city governments, and supported the reconstruction of city centers.
Genoa, Italy