Cities first arose when farmers had surplus grain production and needed storage, leading to large communal buildings and division of labor with specialists like weavers and blacksmiths. As cities grew, they required governance with rules, administration of food and people, which led to the development of writing to keep records and address new problems that came with urban living.

2. -- rise when farmers need places to store grain
-- large temples for prayer

3. -- food surplus means not everyone
needs to farm
-- jobs that require special skills
(weaver, weapon-maker etc.)
-- some become kings or priests

4. -- cities need rules, laws, schools & armies

5. -- food supplies and workers need to be kept track of
-- writing was invented for this reason

6. -- new problems require new solutions
-- new technologies are created