Homework question: Why were cities developed?

People were attracted back then to area where there were rivers or near the ocean. Transportation of supplies, etc. was a big deal.

Urban centers have been a key part of civilisation since the beginning of civilisation.

That is where stuff happens.

Skyscrapers and sidewalks are the modern equivalent of the Palazzo Vecchio and the old Roman roads. It gave people a place to gather, and a way to get there.

These questions are beginning to feel like homework. The answers above are correct. Building near ports was a key reason, building skyscrapers made sense, especially places like NYC, which is an island, so limited real estate. Also, way back in the day there were no cars, so people living and working close to each other was more practical for many reasons. The industrial revolution probably fueled the development of cities.

Read some Jared Diamond. But basically…. first… it’s a trade area, meaning that transport is easy… an excellent natural port… where boats and ships can dock…. be it on a river (St Louis), Lake (Chicago) or a sea port (ummm too many to name… Boston, New York etc…) The trade of imported goods stimulated industry. It was easy to make a factory near the port than transport the raw materials far to a factory… you see. Enter Industrial Revolution…. Labour needed…. mass migration to the factories…. and then the services that the population it attracted needed… (doctors, printers, prostitutes, grocers, banks). You get the idea.

It’s to do with industrialisation. Onces you have factories that employ 1000 people you need 1000 people living very close to your factory, then you get all the s

If you’re interested in the evolution of human societies outside of your homework question, check out Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond.

@Haleth THAT’s the Jared Diamond book I was talking about.

I think the absolute origin was when a family put their backs together and faced outward so that they could see anything that attacks from different directions. Then they put rocks around them to have a little barrier and something to hide behind. As they had children and brought in friends, they expanded the wall outward further. and built homes within. This also presupposes that they were able to gather food and water close by, otherwise they would have to move on.

…looks like I got bored in the middle of that response and just stopped