4.Evolution of Cities

7/29/2019 4.Evolution of Cities

1/14

Evolution of Cities


2/14

Ancient times

The growth of the population of ancient

civilizations, the formation of ancient empiresconcentrating political power, and the growth incommerce and manufacturing led to the growthof great capital cities.

Capitals like Alexandria, Antioch and Seleucia ofthe Hellenistic civilization, Pataliputra (nowPatna) in India, Chang'an (now Xi'an) in China,Carthage, ancient Rome, its eastern successorConstantinople (later Istanbul), were large cities

approaching or exceeding the half-millionpopulation level.

Mohenjo-daro of the Indus Valley Civilizationwas one of the largest, with an estimatedpopulation of 41,250.


3/14

Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages, European towns

were political entities and cities had a

legislature of their own

In exceptional cases like Venice, Genoa or

Lbeck, cities themselves became

powerful states, sometimes taking

surrounding areas under their control orestablishing extensive maritime empires.


4/14

Early Modern

Yet most towns remained small places-in 1500A.D. only some two dozen towns in the worldcontained more than 100,000 inhabitants

from the 16th century onwards, Europe's largercapitals benefited from the growth of commercefollowing the emergence of an Atlantic trade.

By the late 18th century, London had becomethe largest city in the world with a population ofover a million.Paris rivaled the traditional capitalcities of Baghdad, Beijing, Istanbul and Kyoto.

As late as 1700 there were fewer than fortycities, the number rising to 300 by 1900.

A small city of the early modern period mightcontain as few as 10,000 inhabitants.


5/14

Industrial Age

The growth of modern industry from the late 18thcentury onward led to massive urbanization andthe rise of new great cities, first in Europe andthen in other regions, as new opportunitiesbrought huge numbers of migrants from ruralcommunities into urban areas.

In the United States from 1860 to 1910, theinvention of railroads reduced transportationcosts, and large manufacturing centers began toemerge, thus allowing migration from rural to cityareas.


6/14

However, cities during those periods oftime were deadly places to live in, due tohealth problems resulting from

contaminated water and air, andcommunicable diseases. In the GreatDepression of the 1930s cities were hardhit by unemployment, especially those with

a base in heavy industry. In the U.Surbanization rate increased forty to eightypercent during 1900-1990.


7/14

The Millenium year was a landmark in that50% of the world's population wasurbanized and living in urban centers, with

millions still streaming annually into thegrowing cities of Asia, Africa and Latin

America.

There has also been a shift to suburbs,perhaps to avoid crime and traffic, whichare two costs of living in an urban area.


8/14

Cities formed as central places of trade forthe benefit of the members living there.Benefits include reduced transport costs,

exchange of ideas, and sharing of naturalresources.

Present-day cities are products of theindustrial revolution and are generallydistinguished by large land area andpopulation.


9/14

Industrialization results in increased

production which in down leads to division

of labor manufacture, transport,

commerce, markets, new construction,supervisory staff, etc. various needs of

new growth in population educational

cultural , institutions and associations

law of enforcement agencies recreation-

need for governance.


10/14

Every city has specific causes of origin

and development that are peculiar to it.

Growth and development of very large

cities is linked to two factors

Growth of population

Development of industrialization


11/14

Importance of urbanization

Cities act as beacons for the rural population because

they represent a higher standard of living

Cities offer opportunities to people not available in thecountryside

Cities exhibit a different spirit to the traditional ways of

rural areas


12/14

Cities are the rich nodes of civilization, the

centers of every nation's culture, its

commerce, arts, and sciences, which

explains why so much attention is focusedon their forms, their structures, and their

internal functions.

The story of civilization is the story of cities

"Every Golden Age is an Urban Age"


13/14

Most cities are influenced by those

cultures which they serve and represent.

At the same time, the cultures are

influenced by their respective cities.

The city as a living environment is a

driving force for development


14/14

Urbanization & Industrialization have broughtabout new forms of economic organization

Increasing urbanization has initiated socio

cultural changes that have permeated societyas a whole.

Traditional dichotomies between urban & ruralsettlements are decreasing

The future is about an urban rural continuum,already achieved in developed nations/industrially advanced nations like the UK & US.

4.Evolution of Cities

Documents

Transcript of 4.Evolution of Cities