Start of Ancient Agriculture - Why Did States Emerge in the First Complex Societies?

Tina Khuu

History 161

Monday-Weds

8:00 A.M-9:25 AM

2/25/2016

Why did states emerge in the first complex societies?

        Once the Neolithic Era came into existence, the Neolithic strived to guarantee their survival with more of a surplus of food supplies through the spreading idea of crop cultivations and domestication of animals.  This idea spread quickly throughout the nearby and far nations as migrants, traders, travelers flowed through the societies and brought back the information to their own regions.  With the growing amount of crops and domestication of animals for survival, the population increased dramatically by 500 B.C.E.  As could have been expected, with the absence of the need for hunting and searching for food through travels, the Neolithic People had time to develop other talents and social aspects.  Through the growing food surplus, trade, merchant transactions, and the stableness of society, the more they had the opportunities to create homes for themselves through owning land.  As the many years passed, the population grew even more, and soon there was a need for social structure, order, and politics.  This happened especially during the Sumarian Rule.  Unlike the Neolithic Settlements, the Sumarians had more of military and political authority, as well as a business like atmosphere where the streets were busy with markets and vendors.  Formal governmental institutions also know as states were created in order to maintain the turmoil within and outside of the cities.  These cities states’ objectives were to maintain the order enough to bring together the people in unity to work on community projects, and as well as to oversee the nearby agricultural regions.