Monumental Architechture

							Reflect on the material you read on band, tribes, and states. Explain why monumental architecture is
unique to cities. What do such displays imply about the socio- economic and political organization of the
society that created it?

Monumental architecture is unique to cities as they symbolize the concentration of surplus wealth
(Nowak, Laird, 2010) that cities are known for. Smaller tribes and bands simply did not have the wealth
and resources to build these. These buildings or monuments are meant to show power and what the
people of that society stood for. This allowed cities to have their own identity, separate themselves from
other cities, and make them desirable for others to live in so the leaders would be even more powerful.

Consider pieces of monumental architecture found in the United States. Identify one of these
monuments and describe the message it sends to the world.

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most well know structures in the world. It conveys a message of
freedom that this country stands for. New York was a common destination for immigrants, including my
family, and the statue was one of the first things visible, especially when coming by boat like we did.