Early UrbanizationThe Agricultural Revolution and

the Growth of Cities

Remember Push / Pull Factors

• Push Factors– Bad things that make people migrate away

from an area

• Pull Factors– Good things that make people want to migrate

to an area

Agricultural Revolution• Over 10,000 years ago everybody

lived as a hunter-gatherer– All humans were nomads– 1 – 5 million people in the world

(8,000 BC)

• About 10,000 years ago people discovered agriculture (farming)– Population boomed– 25 – 50 million in world (3,000 –

1,000 BC)

Better Farming Techniques

Better Farming Techniques

The Plow

Irrigation

More Vocabulary Words

• Innovation – a new idea or invention– Ex. – the plow

• Diffusion – the spreading of innovations around the world– Ex. – agricultural revolution (and the plow)

spreading from Egypt to Mesopotamia

• Acculturation – change in a culture result of contact with a different culture

• Ex. – how does civilizations change after the agricultural revolution?

River Valley Civilizations

• People needed more land to farm

• Good farmland in river valleys– Access to water for irrigation– People moved to river valleys

• Pull Factor – Grow more food in river valleys

• Food grows easily in river valleys

– Not everybody needs to be a farmer anymore

Indus River Valley

SpecializationAcculturating to the Agricultural Revolution

• People begin to specialize• Craft workers

• Pottery, leather workers, metal workers

– Traders• Merchants

– Education• Priests, scribes,

• Specialized in Non-farming jobs

The First CitiesCause & Effect

Agricultural Revolution

Migration to River Valleys

Better Farming TechniquesMore People

More People

More People

Specialization

Some people don’t need to farm

First Cities

Bunch of non-farmers

Functions of a CityWhy live in a city?

• Water Source– Near rivers– Labor needed for irrigation projects

• Defense– City walls to protect from enemies

• Trade– Cities built along trade routes– Good places for marketplaces

• Religious Centers– Large temples located in cities

Defense - City Walls

Walls of Ancient Rome

Sumerian Trade

Routes

Structure of Early Cities• Religious Core in the center

– Temples or Cathedrals– Government Buildings at core too

• Government associated with religion

• Surrounding the Religious Core were:– High status business

• Associated with religion or government– Secular (non-religious) business

• Tailors, jewelers, – Food products and low status business

• Leather workers, potters, basket makers

• People lived near where they worked– No long commutes

Roman Trade Routes

Ancient Cities Layouts

Religious and Government

Center

High Status Business

Secular Business

Food and Low Status Business

The further away from the middle – the less power or status you had

Ancient Ur

Köln/Cologne, Germany

Tenochtitlan Aztec Capital City

Roman Suburbs

Urbs – inside the city walls

Latin for city

Suburbs – outside the city walls