What is a city-state? a. the capital of a province or state b. an independent city with political control over the surrounding area c. an urban area that functions like a nation d. an agricultural region that dominates a town center

A city-state is an independent city with political control over the surrounding area (B). It is also technically an urban area that functions like a nation (C). Examples in history are cities like Rome and Athens. Today places like Monaco, the Vatican City, and Singapore are examples of city-states. 

B. like in Mesopotamia there were city states because they were a city with their own government.