What was a city-state?
a.a fortified city and surrounding farmlands*****
b. marketplace of ancient Greek cities
c.the temple of the goddess Athena
d.the part of a Greek city located on a hill
A city-state was a type of political organization in ancient times, commonly found in ancient Greece. It was a sovereign entity that consisted of a city and its surrounding territory.
To arrive at the correct answer, you can eliminate options based on your understanding of the concept. Option C is not correct since a city-state was not specifically associated with the temple of the goddess Athena or any other deity. Option D is also incorrect as it does not accurately describe what a city-state was.
Now, let's focus on options A and B. Option B, "marketplace of ancient Greek cities," does not fully capture the essence of a city-state. Although marketplaces were an important part of a city-state, there was much more to it than just a marketplace.
By process of elimination, the correct answer is option A, "a fortified city and surrounding farmlands." A city-state typically comprised a fortified city as its center and the agricultural land surrounding it. The farmlands provided resources and sustenance for the city and its inhabitants. The fortified city was responsible for governance and defense of the region.
Therefore, a city-state was a political entity consisting of a fortified city and the surrounding farmlands.