Eventually, many farming communities that did well grew into larger communities, expanding from camps, to villages, to towns.
Up to 3,000 people might live in one of these towns. With so many people living together, some were able to offer services. They would use special skills or provide labor in exchange for the goods they needed.
Towns with plenty of surplus goods became important centers for barter. Economies began to develop. Then, merchants (sellers) and landowners formed the highest social classes. The towns with the most resources were able to negotiate exchanges not only for goods but also for political power.
