1. Introduction to Metropolitan Studies
From Urban Specks to Global Cities
“DON’T BE TOO HASTY IN TRYING TO DEFINE THE CITY ;IT IS MUCH
TOO BIG,  AND THERE IS EVERY LIKELIHOOD THAT YOU WILL GET IT WRONG" 
          GEORGES PEREC (1974, P.119) 
Amina Sillah, PhD.

2. Earliest Cities
Five Regions credited with the earliest development of cities:
Mesopotamia
Egypt
Indus Valley (Harrappan Civilization)
Northern China and
Mesoamerica

3. Characteristics of Early Cities
“Early” cities emerge at different times in different places
Populations ranging from a few people to more than 60,000
Often have city wall indicating need for defense
Have a Citadel indicating an aristocratic/priestly ruling class and more generally a social hierarchy
Most have record-keeping technologies (like counting devices or primitive forms of written notation)

4. Characteristics of Early Cities
Internal Structure- the lay out within the city – land use, streets, transportation, etc.
Two ways to examine internal lay out:
1. Organic growth –cities that evolved in an unplanned process
Eg. Mesopotamia
2. Planned – cities that were laid out in a predetermined way based on some planned approach,
Eg – gridiron street pattern,
Planned lay out of streets could signify the presence of central control
Internal structure – never static – evolves – some cities – changed from organic to planned and vice versa
eg. London - planned to organic

5. Earliest Cities
Mesopotamia – Land between the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates – area of modern day Iraq
Earliest evidence for urbanization – approx BC
City States
Egypt - Along Nile valley
Around 3100 BC
Agriculture - Irrigation
Short lifespan for cities
Cities usually abandoned after the death of a Pharaoh – leader

6. Earliest Cities
Northern China – Along the fertile plains of River Huang He – 1800BC
Supported by irrigated agriculture
Mesoamerica – 500BC
Based on agriculture
Mayan civilization
Modern day Mexico
Indus Valley
2500BC
Modern day Pakistan
Agriculture and trade

7. Early Civilization Exceptions:
Civilizations in the Americas did not rise in river valleys
Aztecs and Incas emerged
in the highlands of Mexico &
Peru, starting as religious
centers.

8. River Valley Civilizations
Mesopotamia: Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Egypt: Nile River
Indus: Indus River
Shang (China): Huang He River

9. Internal Structure Of Early Cities In Mesopotamia
Featured an organic growth process
Prominent features:
Walled City, approximately 35,000 people
Extensive trade arrangements
Religious and administrative core area – reveals activities such as recognition of several gods, taxing, counting etc.
Outer city or suburbs – remainder of the city state – houses, farms etc.

10. Çatal Hüyük In what is today Turkey
Population of between 5,000 and 6,000 people
Inhabited around B.C.
Houses packed together
Each house was entered through a hole in the roof (Why?)

11. “Mohenjo-Daro” (mound of the dead)
Harappan culture (Indus valley, in what is now Pakistan)
Axial layout and grid system similar to many western cities
Elaborate bath areas
Centrally planned (similar to other Harappan cities)
Well built sanitation system with drainage that ran room homes to covered sewers.
Sit down toilets were discovered - A luxury not commonly found in European cities until the 19th Century

12. Preindustrial Cities
Pre-industrial is a time before there were machines and tools to help perform tasks.
Refers to social attributes and forms of political and cultural organization that were prevalent before the advent of the Industrial Revolution, which occurred from 1750 to 1850.
Preindustrial cities are found societies without sophisticated machine technology, human and animal labor form the basis for economic productivity.

13. Industrialization and City Structure
The Industrial Revolution effected every part of life in Great Britain and is considered to be a mixed blessing.
GOOD- Industrialization led to a better quality of life
BAD- Industrialization caused human suffering

14. Industrialization and City Structure
Good
People earned higher wages in factories than in farms
With this money, more people could afford to heat their homes
People had better diets
Wore better clothing
Bad
Unhealthy working conditions
Air and water pollution
The problem of child labor
Rise in class tensions
Unsanitary living conditions

15. Population Multiplies
Population of England in 1750
6 Million
Population of England in 1851
21 Million
Population of London in 1750
500,000
Population of London in 1851
3 Million
Families in Agriculture in 1750
65% of Population
Families in Agriculture in 1851
25% of Population

16. Living Conditions
Because England’s cities grew rapidly, they were not prepared for the problems created by urbanization.
They had no development plans, sanitary codes, or building codes.

17. Living Conditions
Living conditions were very poor for the working class.
Most unpaved streets had no drains, and garbage collected on them.
Workers lived in dark shelters, with whole families crowded in one bedroom
Multiple families shared one bathroom
Crowded living quarters caused diseases to spread, such as cholera
Lack of police protection
Lack of education

18. Manchester: Shock City
Grew from a town of 15,000 in 1750 to a metropolis of 500,000 in 1861 to a world city of 2.3 million in 1911
Shock City – Embodiment of surprising and disturbing changes in economic, social, and cultural life.
Archetypal form of a new Industrial City – sole purpose was to assemble raw materials and to fabricate, assemble, and distribute manufactured goods.
Also a World City – at the top of a global urban system. Takes and conducts a disproportionate share of the world’s most important activities- economic, political and cultural-within its space.

19. EUROPEAN URBAN EXPANSION
THE GREEKS –
Idea of cities introduced from the Fertile Crescent
Evolved as City states - ex. Sparta, Athens
Served 4 functions: religious, commerce, administrative, and defense
Street systems – gridiron pattern
Mainly along coastlines – reflecting the importance of long distance sea trade
Democratic government – elections, etc.

20. ROMAN CITIES Greeks loose independence – 338BC
Greek civilization displaced by the expanding Roman empire
By AD 200 – Romans had established towns in Southern Europe
Laid foundation for Western European urban system
Cities connected to one another and to Rome by a system of roads
Health improvements
Cities also fortresses – built around military grounds
Romans were great engineers. Designed excellent road systems throughout the Empire for military control and communication. Romans usually established extensive sewer systems in their cities. These systems even set the standard for cities of today.

21. THE DARK AGES and the URBAN REVIVAL
Rome falls in the 5th C –
Dark ages a period of stagnation – saw a decline in city life
Meanwhile, cities thrived elsewhere – Arab world – Mecca, Medina, Baghdad, etc.
Medieval period - 11th C – a revival of cities around trade