1. Early humans were hunter-gatherers but began transitioning to sedentary agriculture and permanent settlements starting 10,000 years ago in places like Catal Huyuk in Turkey and Jericho in Jordan. 2. The development of cities and civilizations was driven by favorable conditions for domesticating plants and animals. This led to more complex societies with specialized labor. 3. The Industrial Revolution in Britain in the late 1700s increased urbanization as manufacturing grew and people migrated to cities for work, leading to population booms and the rise of the first industrial cities like Manchester.