Evolution of Cities

Ancient times

The growth of the population of ancient civilizations, the formation of ancient empires concentrating political power, and the growth in commerce and manufacturing led to the growth of great capital cities. Capitals like Alexandria, Antioch and Seleucia of the Hellenistic civilization, Pataliputra (now Patna) in India, Chang'an (now Xi'an) in China, Carthage, ancient Rome, its eastern successor Constantinople (later Istanbul), were large cities approaching or exceeding the half-million population level. Mohenjo-daro of the Indus Valley Civilization was one of the largest, with an estimated population of 41,250.

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 or establishing extensive maritime empires.

Yet most towns remained small places-in 1500 A.D. only some two dozen towns in the world contained more than 100,000 inhabitants from the 16th century onwards, Europe's larger capitals benefited from the growth of commerce following the emergence of an Atlantic trade. By the late 18th century, London had become the largest city in the world with a population of over a million.Paris rivaled the traditional capital cities of Baghdad, Beijing, Istanbul and Kyoto. As late as 1700 there were fewer than forty cities, the number rising to 300 by 1900. A small city of the early modern period might contain as few as 10,000 inhabitants.

Early Modern

Industrial Age

The growth of modern industry from the late 18th century onward led to massive urbanization and the rise of new great cities, first in Europe and then in other regions, as new opportunities brought huge numbers of migrants from rural communities into urban areas. In the United States from 1860 to 1910, the invention of railroads reduced transportation costs, and large manufacturing centers began to emerge, thus allowing migration from rural to city areas.

 However,

cities during those periods of time were deadly places to live in, due to health problems resulting from contaminated water and air, and communicable diseases. In the Great Depression of the 1930s cities were hard hit by unemployment, especially those with a base in heavy industry. In the U.S urbanization rate increased forty to eighty percent during 1900-1990.

 The

Millenium year was a landmark in that 50% of the world's population was urbanized and living in urban centers, with millions still streaming annually into the growing cities of Asia, Africa and Latin America. There has also been a shift to suburbs, perhaps to avoid crime and traffic, which are two costs of living in an urban area.

 Cities

formed as central places of trade for the benefit of the members living there. Benefits include reduced transport costs, exchange of ideas, and sharing of natural resources. Present-day cities are products of the industrial revolution and are generally distinguished by large land area and population.

 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 recreationneed for governance.

 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

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 the countryside Cities exhibit a different spirit to the traditional ways of
rural areas

 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 focused on their forms, their structures, and their internal functions. The story of civilization is the story of cities "Every Golden Age is an Urban Age"

 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

Urbanization & Industrialization have brought about new forms of economic organization Increasing urbanization has initiated socio cultural changes that have permeated society as a whole. Traditional dichotomies between urban & rural settlements are decreasing The future is about an urban rural continuum, already achieved in developed nations/ industrially advanced nations like the UK & US.