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Questions and Answers
What do Graeber and Wengrow argue about early cities?
What do Graeber and Wengrow argue about early cities?
The Ratchet Effect suggests it is easy to reverse a course of action once taken.
The Ratchet Effect suggests it is easy to reverse a course of action once taken.
False
Name one of the four 'lost' cities mentioned in Newitz's book.
Name one of the four 'lost' cities mentioned in Newitz's book.
Çatalhöyük, Pompeii, Angkor, or Cahokia
Urban decline often results from a combination of political instability, environmental stress, and __________ decisions.
Urban decline often results from a combination of political instability, environmental stress, and __________ decisions.
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Match the following cities with their key characteristics:
Match the following cities with their key characteristics:
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What is a key challenge to achieving egalitarian governance in larger cities?
What is a key challenge to achieving egalitarian governance in larger cities?
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Human agency is viewed by Graeber and Wengrow as a primary driver of social change.
Human agency is viewed by Graeber and Wengrow as a primary driver of social change.
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According to the content, what does the relationship between cities and civilization suggest?
According to the content, what does the relationship between cities and civilization suggest?
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Which of the following statements best reflects Graeber and Wengrow's view on early urban societies?
Which of the following statements best reflects Graeber and Wengrow's view on early urban societies?
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The Ratchet Effect implies that reversing a course of action is straightforward and often achievable.
The Ratchet Effect implies that reversing a course of action is straightforward and often achievable.
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Name one of the themes highlighted by the decline of urban areas like Çatalhöyük and Pompeii.
Name one of the themes highlighted by the decline of urban areas like Çatalhöyük and Pompeii.
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The relationship between cities and _______ suggests that hierarchy is often intertwined with urban development.
The relationship between cities and _______ suggests that hierarchy is often intertwined with urban development.
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Match each lost city with its key characteristic.
Match each lost city with its key characteristic.
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What is a significant challenge to sustaining egalitarian governance in larger urban areas?
What is a significant challenge to sustaining egalitarian governance in larger urban areas?
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Graeber and Wengrow place significant emphasis on environmental and material constraints in driving social change.
Graeber and Wengrow place significant emphasis on environmental and material constraints in driving social change.
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What do the authors suggest regarding the creation of cities for those who have never seen one?
What do the authors suggest regarding the creation of cities for those who have never seen one?
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Study Notes
Cities: A New History of Humanity
- Graeber & Wengrow's book challenges conventional views of societal development
- Western political theory often misinterprets the evolution of cities
- Examples of egalitarian city-states exist
- Early examples include mega-sites in Ukraine and Teotihuacan
- Teotihuacan shifted focus from monuments to high-quality housing (AD 300)
- Cities like Catalhoyuk existed around 9,000 years ago
- Technology wasn't the sole driver of urban development in Catalhoyuk
- Other factors, such as civic unity and ancestor worship, were crucial
- Early Ukrainian cities exhibited decentralized urbanization
- Mesopotamia lacked wheeled vehicles, sailing ships, and animal-powered transport
- Civic unity and devotion to ancestors likely unified groups in Catalhoyuk
- Urban planning prioritized community involvement, not elite control
Linear Social Evolution
- The traditional model views societal development as a linear progression from simple to complex
- Hunter-gatherer societies were egalitarian and simple
- Agriculture led to societal hierarchies, surplus, and settled life
- States and cities brought bureaucracy, inequality, and class divisions
Social Inequality
- Rousseau posited that early humans lived in egalitarian states of nature
- Agriculture caused societal inequality
- Other researchers link population growth and limited resources to the basis of inequality in many civilizations
- Graeber & Wengrow argue that inequality wasn't inevitable
- Many societies maintained levels of equality alongside surpluses
- Urban development was multifaceted, with choices involved in whether to pursue power or equality
Social Experimentation
- Cities often oscillated between egalitarian and hierarchical systems
- Early cities in Mesoamerica and Ukraine were egalitarian
- Urban planning emphasized community involvement, not elite control
- Teotihuacan prioritized public housing over palaces, defying elite power
- Surpluses did not always lead to the development of rulers or social class systems
Scaling Egalitarian Systems
- Maintaining egalitarianism in larger communities is challenging
- Large, complex populations necessitate structures for centralized decision-making and governance
- Agriculture and complex governance make it difficult to reverse a course of action
Key Questions and Lessons of Cities
- The book explores the correlation between urban development and societal collapse
- It challenges the relationship between cities and civilization
- The study delves into the creation of cities in various settings
- It questions whether cities are inherently hierarchical or not
- It aims to learn from the success and failures of past urban centers
- Key questions regarding urban development and societal collapse are proposed
- The study examines four "lost" cities: Catalhoyuk, Pompeii, Angkor, and Cahokia
- These cities illustrate the diversity and longevity of cities.
Case Studies
- Çatalhöyük (7100-5700 BCE): Early settlement with no apparent social hierarchy; declined due to environmental challenges.
- Pompeii (79 CE): Roman city destroyed by a volcanic eruption; its artifacts provide insights into Roman daily life but also social class distinctions.
- Angkor (800-1431 CE): Capital of the Khmer Empire; complex water infrastructure; collapsed due to political instability.
- Cahokia (1050-1350 CE): Religious and cultural hub; declined due to leadership's authoritarianism and environmental shifts.
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Description
Explore the groundbreaking perspectives presented in Graeber & Wengrow's work, which challenges traditional views of urban development and societal evolution. This quiz covers early city-states, the role of civic unity, and the misconception of technological determinism in urbanization.
