Question 1

Which city did Louis Mumford describe as "a far richer efflorescence of human genius than history anywhere else records, except perhaps for Renaissance Florence"?

Accepted Answer

Mumford admired Hellenic Athens for its unparalleled contributions to art, philosophy, and democracy, considering it a peak of human achievement similar to Renaissance Florence.

Question 2

Classical Athens stood as a monument to

Accepted Answer

Classical Athens is renowned for its development of democracy, where free citizens had the right to participate in government, unlike a monarchy, theocracy, or police state.

Question 3

Friedrich Engels spoke of which English city with these words: "...it is a city in which one can roam for hours without leaving the built-up area and without seeing the slightest sign of the approach of open country"?

Accepted Answer

D

Question 4

In his writings, Charles Dickens used a phrase that summarized what worried Engels about the capitalist city: that it reduced everything in life to objective facts and quantity. This phrase is

Accepted Answer

The answer of In his writings, Charles Dickens used a...

Question 5

Now a city of 22 million people, Beijing was formerly called

Accepted Answer

Beijing was formerly known as Peking, which is an older Western spelling of the city's name.

Question 6

The text uses a small town in upstate New York as an example of urban dominance in a more subtle fashion. The pseudonym for this community is

Accepted Answer

"Springdale" is the pseudonym used for the small town in upstate New York discussed in the context of urban dominance. This choice is based on the use of fictional names to represent real places in sociological and anthropological studies, where "Springdale" serves as a common example.

Question 7

Sociologically, Fiorello La Guardia was a marginal man who lived on the edge of many cultures.

Accepted Answer

Fiorello La Guardia, being of Italian and Jewish descent and having lived in different countries, embodied the concept of a "marginal man," someone who lives at the intersection of different cultural realms and thus experiences both the challenges and opportunities of navigating multiple identities.

Question 8

In the 5th century B.C.E., the city of Athens had a population of roughly

Accepted Answer

In the 5th century B.C.E., the city of Athens, including its surrounding areas, had a population of roughly 350,000. This figure includes citizens, their families, slaves, and resident aliens.

Question 9

For the city dweller during the Industrial Revolution, the most important change was

Accepted Answer

The invention of the factory was the most important change for city dwellers during the Industrial Revolution, as it led to the growth of urban areas due to the demand for labor and fundamentally transformed the nature of work and daily life.

Question 10

Cities are almost always completely self-defining.

Accepted Answer

Cities often rely on broader economic, political, and social networks and cannot be fully understood in isolation from their regional, national, or global contexts.

Question 11

For all intents and purposes, large-scale industrialism began in England about

Accepted Answer

Large-scale industrialism began in England around 1750, marking the start of the Industrial Revolution which significantly transformed manufacturing processes.

Question 12

The text points out that much of the population of the city initially came from the

Accepted Answer

The text indicates that a significant portion of the city's population originally migrated from rural or countryside areas, which is a common pattern in urbanization as people move to cities seeking better opportunities.

Question 13

Based on historical and comparative evidence, argued that the city has been at the center of Western civilization from its beginnings.

Accepted Answer

Lewis Mumford is known for his work on the significance of cities in Western civilization, arguing that cities have been central to its development from the beginning.

Question 14

What does Daniel J. Monti argue about cities?

Accepted Answer

Daniel J. Monti argues that cities inspire a public spirit, suggesting that urban environments foster a sense of community and civic engagement.

Question 15

Oswald Spengler spoke of the " " of the city.

Accepted Answer

Oswald Spengler, in his work "The Decline of the West," spoke of the "soul" of the city, emphasizing the cultural and spiritual dimensions of urban life.

Question 16

According to Daniel J. Monti, in the urban way of life, the many different types of people have found an appropriate form of public behavior that enables them to get along with each other. Monti refers to this as

Accepted Answer

Monti refers to the appropriate form of public behavior that allows different types of people to get along in urban settings as "civic culture."

Question 17

Shakespeare noted that the ways of the country and of the city are often quite different.

Accepted Answer

Shakespeare frequently explored the contrast between country life and city life in his works, highlighting how the customs, behaviors, and values often differ significantly between these settings.

Question 18

refers to conformity to opinions that supposedly reflect group consensus.

Accepted Answer

Groupthink refers to a psychological phenomenon where people strive for consensus within a group, often setting aside their own beliefs or differing opinions for the sake of harmony and conformity.

Question 19

Visitors to Beijing today find a city displaying

Accepted Answer

Visitors to Beijing today are more likely to observe a rising consumerism due to the significant economic growth and development in China, which has led to an increase in consumer culture and market-driven behaviors.

Question 20

Ming Peking was based on

Accepted Answer

Ming Peking, referring to the architectural and urban planning aspects of Beijing during the Ming Dynasty, was heavily influenced by traditional Chinese cosmology. This included principles of feng shui and the symbolic importance of spatial arrangements and orientations, reflecting a worldview deeply rooted in Chinese culture and cosmological beliefs.

Quiz 9: Comparative Urbanism: the City and Culture