Week 4: Notes and Slides (1-3))

Question 1

Define “wealth” in the context of early agricultural societies.

Answer 1

Wealth in early agricultural societies is associated with storable foodstuffs that require protection, often symbolized by walls.

Question 2

Question: What does the presence of walls around a settlement suggest?

a) A lack of resources
b) A food surplus requiring protection
c) A need for more workers
d) A small population

Answer 2

b) A food surplus requiring protection

Question 3

True or False

Statement: The construction of walls and organized structures in ancient settlements like Ur suggests a lack of political organization.

Answer 3

False
Reason: The construction of walls and large-scale organization in cities like Ur indicates a significant level of political organization, as such efforts would require coordinated labor, resource management, and social hierarchy.

Question 4

How does the Sumerian city of Ur demonstrate a higher level of social and economic hierarchy compared to Catal Huyuk?

Answer 4

Ur shows evidence of socio-economic hierarchy through organized construction efforts, denser urban planning, and advancements in social organization, suggesting a more complex society than Catal Huyuk.

Question 5

Explain why storable foodstuffs equate to wealth in early agricultural societies.

Answer 5

In early agricultural societies, the ability to store food allowed for surplus, which meant security during hard times, the potential for trade, and the need for protection, establishing food as a valuable resource equivalent to wealth.

Question 6

What role does “social specialization” play in the emergence of elites in agricultural societies?

Answer 6

Social specialization allows certain groups to focus on specific tasks like governance, defense, and administration, creating a class of elites who hold power and control resources.

Question 7

What is one main reason walls were built around early cities like Ur?
a) To beautify the settlement
b) To contain livestock
c) To protect the surplus of stored food
d) To separate citizens from elites

Answer 7

C

Question 8

Match the Terms

Instructions: Match each term with its correct description.
Terms:
a) Catal Huyuk
b) Ur
c) Storable Foodstuffs
d) Walls

Descriptions:
1. Indication of organized governance and resource protection

2. Early agricultural society around 6,500 B.C.E., with limited hierarchy
3. Food stored for future use, representing wealth
4. Sumerian city around 2,000 B.C.E., showing advanced urban organization

Answer 8

a - 2
b - 4
c - 3
d - 1

Question 9

Why is agriculture more dependent on annual cycles than hunter-gatherer societies?

Answer 9

Agriculture relies on planting and harvesting cycles, which are tied to seasonal changes, making it more vulnerable to annual climate patterns than the more adaptable lifestyle of hunter-gatherer societies.

Question 10

Yes or No

Question: Did Catal Huyuk exhibit a hierarchy in its buildings similar to modern urban centers?

Answer 10

Answer: No
Reason: Catal Huyuk did not display a clear hierarchy in its building structures, which suggests a more egalitarian society, unlike modern urban centers that typically reflect social stratification in architecture.

Question 11

What settlement is this a picture of?

Answer 11

The neolithic agricultural settlement at Catal Huyuk, ca. 6,500 B.C.E.

Catal Huyuk did not display a clear hierarchy in its building structures, which suggests a more egalitarian society, unlike modern urban centers that typically reflect social stratification in architecture.

Question 12

What settlement is this a picture of?

Answer 12

The Sumerian city of Ur, ca. 2,000 B.C.E.

Construction like this represents a huge organised effort…an effort that can only come from the actions of a government.