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True or False:
The amount of land controlled by each city-state depended on its population.

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The amount of land controlled by each city-state was generally not dependent on its population but was controlled by powerful entities such as temples or kings. Ancient Mesopotamia serves as an example where this holds true.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement 'The amount of land controlled by each city-state depended on its population' is generally considered False. The size and control of land in city-states, especially in ancient times such as southern Mesopotamia, were not solely based on population size. Instead, land was principally controlled by entities like temples, kings, or powerful landowners.

These entities decided how the land would be used and who would work it, often using semi-free peasants tied to the land for agricultural production. The idea that a city-state's land control was dependent on population size oversimplifies the complex social, economic, and political factors that determined land distribution and control in ancient societies.

For example, society in southern Mesopotamia was highly urban, and much of the land was controlled by the temples or kings rather than being distributed based on population. Additionally, in historical periods different from ancient Mesopotamia, such as in the context of U.S. history, land acquisition and control were influenced by a range of factors such as economic interests, military conquests, treaties, and the pursuit of resources.