History - Development of Urban Areas in the Americas

History

1

Development of Urban Areas in the Americas

Overview

Urbanization is one of the major criteria for the development of a civilization. When Europeans arrived in the Americas, the “New World,” they found few urban centers and determined that the peoples of the Americas were uncivilized. This, in part, justified conquest; however, they were wrong. There were a number of urban civilizations in the Americas, some of which rivaled the greatest cities of Europe, many of which were built and flourished while Western Europe languished in the Dark Ages. To be successful in this discussion you must understand the main points of the Exploration and Lecture.

Instructions

Write a 150-200 word post as follows:

1. Compare and contrast two urban civilizations in the Americas pre-contact.

2. Make sure to address at least three of these elements in your post: religion, geography, politics, economy, trade, culture, agriculture, technology.

3. Imagine you were a European of the Middle Ages encountering this society for the first time. How would you react and why?