Question

Why was the area unable to sustain a large population, and what role did the considerable distance from people's homes play in this challenge?

Answer 1

The ability of an area to sustain a large population was limited due to the lack of food surplus in hunter-gatherer societies. The considerable distance from people's homes also restricted the development of permanent settlements and population growth. Agricultural communities faced challenges such as epidemic diseases and weather dependence.

Step-by-step explanation:

The ability of an area to sustain a large population depends on several factors. In the past, areas with a hunter-gatherer lifestyle were unable to support significant population growth due to the lack of a surplus of food. Hunter-gatherers relied on following herds of animals and gathering edible plants, which provided just enough food to sustain their current population levels.

The considerable distance from people's homes also played a role in the challenge of sustaining a large population. Hunter-gatherers needed to constantly move in search of food sources, so they couldn't permanently settle in one place. This nomadic lifestyle limited the ability to develop permanent settlements and sustain a larger population.

As societies shifted from hunter-gatherer to agricultural communities, they faced new challenges. Agricultural communities were more vulnerable to epidemic diseases due to the collection of large amounts of human and animal waste. They also depended on weather conditions for their crops, which limited their ability to migrate to areas with more suitable weather conditions.

Answer 2

The inability to sustain a large population was due to a lack of food surplus in hunter-gatherer societies and later challenges such as disease, weather dependence in agricultural societies, and factors limiting city development like inadequate sewage and immigration restrictions. The considerable distance from rural homes limited efficient migration to cities, exacerbating these challenges with inadequate infrastructure.

Step-by-step explanation:

The area was likely unable to sustain a large population primarily due to the lack of food surplus which is crucial for urban populations. During the era of hunter-gatherers, there was no significant surplus of caloric energy, or food, leading to generally static population levels. The hunter-gatherer lifestyle was precarious and did not support significant population growth. Once agriculture was introduced, food surplus could support larger populations, but it also made communities more vulnerable to diseases and dependent on weather, as agricultural communities could not easily migrate like hunter-gatherers.

Moreover, the challenges of developing a city, as explained by sociologist Gideon Sjoberg, include the need for a good environment with fresh water, advanced technology for producing a food surplus, and strong social organization. These factors, along with inadequate sewage control and immigration restrictions, limited the size of ancient cities. The considerable distance from people's homes to the cities exacerbated these issues since transportation was limited and inefficient, hindering the ability of people, especially serfs, to move to urban centers, thus contributing to the challenge of sustaining large populations within cities.

Lastly, the influx of people into cities without the necessary infrastructure led to environmental degradation and psychological stress. The transition from rural to urban life, particularly in unforgiving city environments like those in London during the 1840s, proved difficult for many who grew up in farming communities. This rapid urbanization often outpaced the preparation of cities to handle such growth.