The development of agriculture and the building of cities were among the characteristics of early civilization. Mesopotamia is regarded as the cradle for early civilization. After some time, the culture spread to other parts of the world. However, each civilization was characterized by distinct features. For example, the way agriculture grew and early cities during the Americas, and Mesopotamia civilizations differed.
Initially, early inhabitants in the Americas came up with various agricultural systems to suit the wide range of climate from South America to Southern Canada and from the lowlands of the Amazon River to high elevation in the Andes. Agriculture developed independently in Mesoamerica, South America, and Eastern parts of North America. The Americas domesticated several indigenous animal species. The plow and other technology were not available. Instead, the Maya and Aztec communities applied the slash and burn mechanism, irrigation systems, and elaborate ecosystem management techniques. A variety of crops such as corn, cocoa, pepper, and others were grown.
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In Mesopotamia, the inhabitants combined growing cereals and keeping animals with hunting and gathering. At the end of the Fourth Millennium B.C, plows that were pulled with oxen emerged. From 2300 B.C onwards, seed plows with funnels were used. In the South, irrigation was used extensively due to little rainfall. Barleyand wheat were the main crops grown. The Sumerian gardens were shaded by palms, which enabled beans, peas, lentils, and sorts of vegetables. From 4000 B.C onwards, milk from goats, cows, and sheep were used to make butter.
The Olmec, Maya, and Chavin play a critical role in the development of cities in the Americas despite the differences in the environment. The building of pyramids was a common feature among the Olmec and Chavin ( Coe, 2017). However, the American civilizations showed a low level of technological development by ignoring the wheel's advancement. On the other hand, Mesopotamia civilizations recognized and applied technology at large in building their cities. The Sumerians who lived in the southern parts played a critical role in urbanization. Early cities are believed to have developed after the Neolithic Revolution due to the spread of agriculture. Agriculture tipped hunters and gathers to ditch their nomadic life and adopt a sedentary one ( Widell, 2013). Using technology, the Sumerians grew villages into cities surrounded them with walls for protection.
Indeed, the development of agriculture and early cities during the Americas and Mesopotamia civilizations had distinct features. The Americas created many agricultural systems due to different environmental conditions and limited technology. Indigenous communities grew crops such as corn, coca, and pepper and kept various animal species. On the other hand used little agricultural systems, technology and mainly grew cereals alongside animal keeping and hunting. Besides, technology was used extensively in building early cities in Mesopotamia than in the Americas.
References
Coe, M. D. (2017). America's first civilization . New Word City.
Widell, M. (2013). Sumerian agriculture and land management. In The Sumerian World (pp. 79-91). Routledge.
