Question

The first people who build cities are

• A. Mesopotamians
• B. Greeks
• C. Romans
• D. Chinese

Hint:

Cradles of Civilization and Early Urbanization: - Mesopotamia (Sumer): Generally considered the site of the world's first cities (e.g., Uruk, Ur), developing from the 4th millennium BCE. - Egypt: Early urban centers along the Nile from late 4th millennium BCE. - Indus Valley: Well-planned cities from mid-3rd millennium BCE. - China: Early urban development along major rivers from 2nd millennium BCE. Greek and Roman city-states and urban centers developed significantly later than the earliest Mesopotamian cities.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understand the context of "first cities".
This refers to the earliest urban settlements that mark the beginning of civilization.

Step 2: Recall early civilizations known for urban development.
- Mesopotamia (Sumerians): Located in the fertile crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (modern-day Iraq), the Sumerian civilization is widely credited with establishing the world's first true cities, starting around 3500-3000 BCE.
Cities like Uruk, Ur, Eridu, and Lagash were centers of population, administration, religion, and trade.
They developed writing (cuneiform), complex social structures, and monumental architecture.
- Ancient Egypt: Developed cities along the Nile River (e.
g.
, Memphis, Thebes) from around 3100 BCE.
- Indus Valley Civilization: Flourished around 2500-1900 BCE with well-planned cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-daro.
- Ancient China: Urban centers developed along the Yellow River, with early dynasties like the Shang (c.
1600-1046 BCE) having established cities.
- Ancient Greece: City-states (poleis) like Athens and Sparta emerged much later, flourishing from around 800 BCE onwards.
- Ancient Rome: Founded traditionally in 753 BCE, grew from a small settlement to a vast city and empire.

Step 3: Identify the earliest city builders among the options.
Among the given options, the Mesopotamians (specifically the Sumerians) are recognized as the earliest to develop urban centers that can be defined as cities.
This matches option (1).