ANT 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 25: Urban Revolution, Ruling Class, Cell Culture

• School: University of Maine
• Department: Anthropology
• Course: ANT 101
• Professor: Daniel Sandweiss

Document Summary

Civilization and the growth of urbanism part 2 & Civilization and culture change: gordon childe (1950) the urban revolution. Relates to the formation of cities, resulting from new class of full-time artisans and specialists who lived in larger settlements. Describes transition from hunting and gathering to farming: technological and social breakthroughs. Implied interconnected series of changed in many variables, not just concept of cities : almost entirely a social transformation. Childe"s urban revolution: social, economic, political, and cultural changes. Drew upon early mesopotamian cities to illustrate ideas of urban revolution". Surplus as tax to king or deity. State organization that cut across kinship boundaries. Population growth and settlement distribution (nucleated, dispersed, transport cost, degree of central planning, etc. ) When a complex society collapses, it becomes smaller, simpler, and much more egalitarian. Control water resources; increases crop yields; expand cultivable land: diversification of labor (economic specialization)