What outcome is associated with agricultural surpluses in early societies?

• A. Adoption of writing
• B. Development of architecture
• C. Expansion of cities
• D. Job specialization

Answer: (D)

Surplus food frees people from constant farming, allowing a division of labor to emerge. When not everyone must spend every day growing enough to feed the community, some individuals can specialize in different tasks—crafting tools, trading goods, governing, or religious roles. This job specialization is a hallmark of developing complexity in societies and explains how early communities move beyond subsistence toward organized economies and social roles. Among the options, focusing on specialized work is the most direct result of having an agricultural surplus, because it shows how surplus is used to support people in varied skilled roles. The other outcomes—writing, architecture, and city expansion—can accompany surplus as societies grow, but they rely on additional developments (like record-keeping, governance structures, and population growth) beyond the basic surplus itself.