Mid-term examination
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Mid-term examination
Answer to question 1
The modern cities are likened to the ancient cities of Sumer in diverse ways. For instance, like the cities of Sumer that each had its own government, the development of government for each state in modern times resembles this approach to governance. The Sumerians were mainly the first civilization within Ancient Mesopotamia. It is also evident that the cities of Sumer developed through urban scaling, an approach that is in use today in urban development. This approach to urban development is based on the pattern, where the city populations grow through time individuals tend to cluster as opposed to sprawling outwards. It results in more intense use of the infrastructure, and people tend to interact more intensely in the modern cities, in the same manner it happened in the ancient Sumerian cities (Spodek, 2006). Just like the ancient settlements, modern settlements become more productive as the population levels continue to rise. The increase in production within such cities occurs due to the increase in the level of interaction among individuals within the urban centers. It is also evident that the development of the ancient Sumerian cities occurred due to rural-urban migration as individuals left their homes to go and settle in the more productive areas. In modern cities, rural-urban migration has been a key driver of economic and social changes within cities.
The modern cities are presented as having some different attributes from those of the ancient cities of summer. The cultures of the modern cities have become very diverse due to the bringing together of individuals from diverse backgrounds as compared to the city of Sumer, where the culture of the members within the city was largely homogeneous. Modern cities have different economic priorities as compared to the Sumerian cities where the economy in such cities was largely agrarian.
Answer to question 2
The rulers in the four cities in Sumer had different levels of power. For instance, the key cities were Uruk, Kish, Lagash, and Nippur. Lagash was the most powerful and great city having a total population of between 40000 and 80000 (Spodek, 2006). The city has established very strong and fortified walls that protected the residents from external intrusion. Although the Sumerian city-states shared a common language and traditions, they engaged in war with each other often. In the war with other city-states, Lagash ended up conquering the whole of Sumer. The advance in military practice was evident based on how the individuals in the state-organized the wars. The conquering of the other state was a key indicator of the military power that the rulers had over the rest of the states.
The summers did not establish independent city-states like the Romans. They formed independent city-states with distinct rules, just like the Greeks did. The Sumerians often engaged in wars, and in many cases, Uruk and Lagash won the battles due to their superior fight skills s and power. The rulers in Lagash were well organized and hence were able to conquer the other states. In many cases where the Lagash fell out with their neighbors, they won the war (Spodek, 2006). It is also important to note that Lagash city was relatively more massive than the rest of the states except Uruk. The large size of the state located in a very fertile location result in enhanced agricultural capability. Enhanced agricultural production resulted in the empowerment of the state and its access to tools of war, something that resulted in it wielding high power over its neighbors. Despite this, it is evident that all the states within the region were relatively stable.
References
Spodek, H. (2006). The world’s history. New York: Pearson Prentice Hall