If you'd like to print out this page, click the Print button above. Alternatively, you may click the printer icon on your browser's toolbar, or choose File>Print from the menu.     1. What was "the biological old regime," and how did it arise from the invention of agriculture? Your answer should include the following points: Biological old regime — demographic pattern resulting from inadequate nutrition and susceptibility to epidemic disease. Agriculture brought about these conditions because bread and grains, deficient in protein and nutrients, became primary food source. Farming lifestyle required people live in settlements with accumulation of refuse and human waste which brought about disease. 2. What role did slavery play in the economies of the ancient Middle East? Your answer should include the following points: Enslavement was common as a means of paying off debt. 3. How did the status of women in Mesopotamia compare with their status in Egypt and ancient Israel? In what ways could women exert influence in their societies? Your answer should include the following points: Mesopotamia Wives could be sold into slavery. Women could sue for divorce with proper grounds. Women could plead their own cases in the legal system. Egyptian Women higher than in most other ancient cultures. Women could hold property, initiate divorce, undertake contractual obligations. A few women ruled as queens. Israel Status of women lowest here. Fathers held absolute authority over wives and children. Role of women was in the home. Only men could initiate divorce. 4. Why did the civilizations of the ancient Middle East develop writing, mathematics, and eventually alphabets? Your answer should include the following points: Political and economic relationships had reached a level of complexity that required permanent record keeping (i.e.taxes, land transfers, legal agreements). The need to manage the annual flooding of the rivers fostered the development of engineering and mathematics. 5. Why was ancient Egypt more stable politically than Mesopotamia? Your answer should include the following points: Mesopotamia’s wealth and lack of geographic barriers made it an appealing and easy target for conquerors. the populations in Mesopotamia were large, struggles over boundaries and trading rights became common. Egypt was better protected geographically making it more difficult for invaders to attack. 6. How did the religion of ancient Israel differ from that of other ancient societies, and how did it influence the later development of Christianity and Islam? Your answer should include the following points: Belief in monotheism: a vision of one God (Yahweh) who was indivisible, other ancient societies worshipped many gods. The worship of Yahweh demanded ethical behavior, in other societies there was less emphasis on good deeds than on ritual and sacrifice. Monotheism and the ideals of charity, communal responsibility, and righteousness, which are the foundation of Christianity and Islam, took root in the religion of ancient Israel.