1.4 Cities and states

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1.4 Cities and states

- You can explain how cities developed in Mesopotamia.

- You can explain how a well- organized state developed in Egypt.

What do we already know about the agricultural society?

What effect did farming have on the way famers lived?

Irrigation agriculture

Because of the warmer and drier climate in North Africa and the Near East after the ice age farmers watered artificially using irrigation agriculture.

In every village a succesful farmer took charge of the organisation --> Hierarchy.

Harvests exceeded needs --> populaiton grew

As there were enough workers in the field, some people focused on other activities: building/ smithing/ making clothes ==> Craftsmen.

Craftsmen stayed in the same place --> first cities developed in Mesopotamia.

City = small area where many people live together.

What isn't a good example of craftsmen?

1. Farmer
2. Fishermen
3. blacksmith
4. builder

describe what we mean with hierarchy in your own words.

Why was it possible that some people became craftsmen?

The Nile

Because large parts of Africa were deserts, people migrated tot the banks of the Nile => small cities

The Nile flooded each year and caused fertile mud called silt.

When the Nile receded it left a layer of fertile silt on the fields. 

Irrigation agriculture ensured there was always enough water for the fields.

A Well- organized state

Cities in Egypt started working together between 3500 and 3000 BC -> 2 counties: 

1. Lower Egypt

2. Upper Egypt

3000 BC. Leader of Upper Egypt seized power => Pharaoh (= leader of old  Egypt, made laws). 

Egypt became a state (a region with borders that is ruled by one government).

The pharaoh was helped by officials (= people who work for the government).

Governing Egypt was difficult. Rules, laws and agreements needed to be remembered => Hieroglyphics.

explain how cities developed in Mesopotamia.

Explain how a well- organized state developed in Egypt.