Question 1

Teotihuacán and Çatal Hüyük are two of the earliest towns in the Middle East.

Accepted Answer

Teotihuacán is a town located in Mexico, not in the Middle East. Çatal Hüyük, on the other hand, is an ancient town located in modern-day Turkey.

Question 2

Writing never developed among the early states in Mesoamerica, so there is no reliable archaeological evidence that records these states' histories.

Accepted Answer

Writing did in fact develop among the early states of Mesoamerica, and there is ample archaeological evidence of their histories, such as the Maya hieroglyphic script and the Zapotec writing system.

Question 3

A key feature of Carneiro's model for the origin of states is metallurgy.

Accepted Answer

Carneiro's model for the origin of states primarily focuses on environmental circumscription, social circumscription, and population pressure leading to warfare and the eventual emergence of state-level societies, rather than metallurgy.

Question 4

Environmental degradation often contributes to the collapse of states.

Accepted Answer

Environmental degradation can lead to resource scarcity, economic instability, social tensions, and ultimately the collapse of states. For example, deforestation and soil erosion can reduce agricultural productivity, leading to famine and population displacement. Climate change can exacerbate these impacts and also contribute to the loss of biodiversity, natural disasters, and conflict over resources. Therefore, environmental sustainability is critical for ensuring the resilience and stability of societies.

Question 5

How did the first states come to be formed? What kinds of societies evolved into states? What factors played important roles in the rise of the first states?

Accepted Answer

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Question 6

Jericho, the earliest known town, is located in central Turkey.

Accepted Answer

Jericho is actually located in the West Bank, Palestine and is not in Turkey. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, dating back to around 8000 BCE.

Question 7

Most researchers today believe that chiefdoms emerged in response to the growing administrative requirements for building, maintaining, and administering public hydraulic works.

Accepted Answer

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Question 8

Early states arose from competition among rival tribes.

Accepted Answer

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Question 9

In an egalitarian society, everybody has the same status.

Accepted Answer

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Question 10

The earliest states emerged in Mesopotamia.

Accepted Answer

Mesopotamia, located in present-day Iraq, is considered to be the birthplace of the first civilizations and states, with prominent city-states such as Sumer, Akkad, and Babylon emerging in the region around 4000 BCE.

Question 11

Chiefdoms were the precursors to tribes.

Accepted Answer

Tribes were the precursors to chiefdoms. Tribes were small, autonomous groups of people who shared a common ancestry, language, and culture. Over time, some tribes developed into chiefdoms, which were larger, more complex societies with a centralized governance.

Question 12

According to the expansionist model of primary state formation, a key difference between chiefdoms and states is that the latter has the bureaucracy, resources, and commitment to expand and incorporate more territory.

Accepted Answer

The expansionist model of primary state formation argues that states have the organizational capabilities to expand and incorporate more territory, which chiefdoms lack. States typically have a centralized bureaucracy, surplus resources, and the ability to mobilize large armies, which allows them to conquer neighboring territories and create empires. Chiefdoms, on the other hand, are typically smaller and more localized, and lack the institutional capacity for expansion.

Question 13

Egypt was the only region in Africa where states emerged prior to the 1500s.

Accepted Answer

Several African regions outside of Egypt, including the West African empires of Mali and Songhai, as well as Great Zimbabwe in Southern Africa, had established states and civilizations before the 1500s.

Question 14

China's first state, the Shang dynasty, had bronze metallurgy and writing.

Accepted Answer

The Shang dynasty, which ruled from 1600 BC to 1046 BC, is known for its advancements in bronze metallurgy and the development of a writing system using oracle bones.

Question 15

Summarize the evidence for and against the following theories of state formation: hydraulic systems, long-distance trade routes, and population circumscription.

Accepted Answer

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Question 16

The Natufians were the first culture to develop a state in the Indus Valley.

Accepted Answer

The Natufians were a culture in the Levant (modern-day Middle East), while the Indus Valley civilization developed in the Indian subcontinent. The Harappan civilization is considered the first to develop a state in the Indus Valley.

Question 17

Ranked societies lack social differences.

Accepted Answer

Ranked societies have social differences, as individuals or groups are awarded different social status or ranking based on various criteria such as wealth, education, occupation, or ancestry.

Question 18

Warfare and attracting followers are two key elements in state formation.

Accepted Answer

Warfare helps establish control over territories and expand the state's influence, while attracting followers or supporters helps legitimize the state's authority and strengthen its power. Both elements are essential in the process of state formation.

Question 19

Social ranking and stratification are both forms of hereditary inequality.

Accepted Answer

Social ranking and stratification are both forms of social inequality that are passed down from generation to generation.

Question 20

Coastal Peru illustrates the explanatory power of Carneiro's theory of state formation caused by the interaction of environmental circumscription, warfare, and population increase.

Accepted Answer

Coastal Peru is a key example used by Carneiro to illustrate his theory of state formation, which emphasizes the role of environmental factors, warfare, and population growth in the emergence of states in certain regions. Research has shown that coastal Peru experienced environmental constraints that limited food production and forced people to live in densely populated areas. This, in turn, led to warfare and competition over resources, eventually culminating in the emergence of state societies like the Moche, Nasca, and Chimú.

Quiz 12: The First Cities and States