D would be correct, yep.
City-states would be independent, but their power would extend very little outside of the city-states borders.
A city-state is defined as an independent political entity that consists of a city and the surrounding territory it controls. This definition aligns with option D, which describes a city-state as 'an independent city with political control over the surrounding area'. City-states have been historical fixtures in various regions around the world, including ancient Greece, the Middle East, and medieval Japan. They were autonomous, with their own forms of government, and were economically self-sufficient. In contrast to option C, city-states do not answer to a state or provincial government as modern cities might do today. Often, city-states like Venice, Genoa, and Lübeck in medieval times or the Sumerian city-states like Ur and Uruk became powerful entities with extensive control over trade and regional politics.
A city-state is an independent city that governs itself and the surrounding area, making option D the correct choice. Historically, city-states operated autonomously, influencing culture, politics, and trade. Examples include the ancient Greek city-states like Athens and Sparta.
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