Question 1

How did women's role in religion change as Jewish society developed settled agriculture?

Accepted Answer

A)  As property came under family control, women gained greater power over family decision-making and a more public presence in religious life.
B)  When the Temple of Solomon was built, women gained control over the care of the religious artifacts and ritual life within the temple.
C)  As symbols of fertility, women's role within religious rites grew in order to secure Yahweh's favor for a good harvest.
D)  Women, who had formerly served as priestesses, found their religious roles increasingly centered on the home. D

Question 2

The concept of opposition and struggle that we see in Zoroastrianism between the deities Ahuramazda (good) and Angra Mainyu (evil) is identified by scholars as what?

Accepted Answer

A)  Pantheism
B)  Atheism
C)  Pluralism
D)  Dualism D

Question 3

According to the Bible, who led the Hebrews out of Egypt?

Accepted Answer

A)  Saul
B)  David
C)  Moses
D)  Abraham C

Question 4

After Solomon's death, the Hebrew kingdom

Accepted Answer

A)  continued to consolidate politically.
B)  became a powerful empire.
C)  devolved into a tribal-based society.
D)  split into two separate kingdoms.

Question 5

Within Hebrew society, which of the following characterizes the attitude that prevailed toward wives?

Accepted Answer

A)  They were considered unique treasures of the household who had to be secluded from society.
B)  They were considered servants in the household and were expected to provide domestic and sexual services while denied any rights of their own.
C)  They were considered to be the head of the household with authority over household finances.
D)  They were considered to be the pillar of the family, and their work and wisdom were respected and treasured.

Question 6

After having unified Persia and Media, Cyrus the Great sought to

Accepted Answer

A)  isolate the Persian Empire from foreign influence.
B)  encourage nomadic tribes to join his military by opening new land to them.
C)  culturally unite the two societies under a single religion and language.
D)  win control of the western terminal ports of the trade routes that crossed Iran and Anatolia.

Question 7

Answer the following questions:
-satraps

Accepted Answer

A)  Period beginning about 1100 B.C.E., when iron became the most important material for tools and weapons.
B)  Kingdom in Nubia that adopted hieroglyphics and pyramids, and later conquered Egypt.
C)  Seafaring people from Canaan who traded and founded colonies throughout the Mediterranean and spread the phonetic alphabet.
D)  The sole god in Hebrew monotheism; later Anglicized as Jehovah.
E)  The first five books of the Hebrew Bible, containing the most important legal and ethical Hebrew texts; later became part of the Christian Old Testament.F) An agreement that the Hebrews believed to exist between themselves and Yahweh, in which he would consider them his chosen people if they worshiped him as their only god.G) Administrators in the Persian Empire who controlled local government, collected taxes, heard legal cases, and maintained order.H) Religion based on ideas that stressed devotion to the god Ahuramazda alone and emphasizing the individual's responsibility to choose between good and evil.

Question 8

How did the Persians transform the artistic traditions of the Assyrians?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Persians adopted the Assyrian tradition of life-sized sculpture but introduced fluid design elements that created the appearance of motion rather than stiffness.
B)  The Persians adopted the Assyrian tradition of large-scale architecture but introduced intimate spaces within the architectural design that permitted greater privacy for individuals within homes and palaces.
C)  The Persians adopted the Assyrian tradition of mosaic-tiled floors but replaced the Assyrians' geometric patterns with realistic depictions of agriculture and wildlife.
D)  The Persians adopted the Assyrian tradition of realistic monumental sculpture but replaced the gory depiction of slaughter with noble and dignified portrayals of themselves and their conquered subjects.

Question 9

Which of the following is true of iron?

Accepted Answer

A)  The process of turning iron ore into metal is relatively simple.
B)  Most iron is found deep beneath the earth's surface.
C)  It must be smelted at a higher temperature than copper and tin.
D)  It is much rarer than copper and tin.

Question 10

How did the Assyrians establish the mightiest military the ancient Near East had ever seen?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How did the Assyrians establish the mightiest...

Question 11

According to Map 2.1, The Assyrian and Persian Empires, ca. 1000-500 B.C.E., which two cities were located within the Assyrian homeland?

Accepted Answer

A)  Pasargadae and Persepolis
B)  Nineveh and Calah
C)  Jerusalem and Thebes
D)  Babylon and Susa

Question 12

Two characteristics that lift Cyrus the Great above the common level of warrior-king were his concept of empire and his

Accepted Answer

A)  concern for economic development.
B)  effective use of military power.
C)  enlightened imperial governance.
D)  creation of an efficient bureaucracy.

Question 13

Answer the following questions:
-Yahweh

Accepted Answer

A)  Period beginning about 1100 B.C.E., when iron became the most important material for tools and weapons.
B)  Kingdom in Nubia that adopted hieroglyphics and pyramids, and later conquered Egypt.
C)  Seafaring people from Canaan who traded and founded colonies throughout the Mediterranean and spread the phonetic alphabet.
D)  The sole god in Hebrew monotheism; later Anglicized as Jehovah.
E)  The first five books of the Hebrew Bible, containing the most important legal and ethical Hebrew texts; later became part of the Christian Old Testament.F) An agreement that the Hebrews believed to exist between themselves and Yahweh, in which he would consider them his chosen people if they worshiped him as their only god.G) Administrators in the Persian Empire who controlled local government, collected taxes, heard legal cases, and maintained order.H) Religion based on ideas that stressed devotion to the god Ahuramazda alone and emphasizing the individual's responsibility to choose between good and evil.

Question 14

How did the Assyrians and the Jews interpret the fall of Jerusalem differently?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Assyrians viewed their conquest as the blessings of the gods, while the Jews viewed their defeat as a consequence of poor military planning.
B)  The Assyrians viewed their conquest as a result of superior political leadership, while the Jews viewed their defeat as a consequence of their land's poor resources.
C)  The Assyrians believed their conquest resulted from military superiority, while the Jews believed their defeat to be a consequence of their king mistrusting their god.
D)  The Assyrians viewed their conquest as the blessings of the gods, while the Jews viewed their defeat as a consequence of their poor material resources.

Question 15

How did the arrival of the Sea People affect Egypt?

Accepted Answer

A)  Long wars against the invaders weakened and impoverished Egypt, leading it to focus on its own defense.
B)  Improved sailing techniques expanded trade and allowed Egypt to prosper from its abundant agriculture.
C)  The Sea People provided the Egyptian army greater mobility and enough soldiers to outflank and subdue the peoples of the Near East.
D)  The Sea People drove Egyptians southward, away from the coast, where they established power over the Nubian kingdom.

Question 16

The script used to write English today is derived from the alphabet of the

Accepted Answer

A)  Phoenicians.
B)  Assyrians.
C)  Hebrews.
D)  Persians.

Question 17

Who were the satraps, and what role did they play in Persian government?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Who were the satraps, and what role...

Question 18

Answer the following questions:
-Torah

Accepted Answer

A)  Period beginning about 1100 B.C.E., when iron became the most important material for tools and weapons.
B)  Kingdom in Nubia that adopted hieroglyphics and pyramids, and later conquered Egypt.
C)  Seafaring people from Canaan who traded and founded colonies throughout the Mediterranean and spread the phonetic alphabet.
D)  The sole god in Hebrew monotheism; later Anglicized as Jehovah.
E)  The first five books of the Hebrew Bible, containing the most important legal and ethical Hebrew texts; later became part of the Christian Old Testament.F) An agreement that the Hebrews believed to exist between themselves and Yahweh, in which he would consider them his chosen people if they worshiped him as their only god.G) Administrators in the Persian Empire who controlled local government, collected taxes, heard legal cases, and maintained order.H) Religion based on ideas that stressed devotion to the god Ahuramazda alone and emphasizing the individual's responsibility to choose between good and evil.

Question 19

What text covered the first five books of the Hebrew Bible and also contained rules about sexual actions, childbirth, animal sacrifices, and dietary laws?

Accepted Answer

A)  Hammurabi's code
B)  Epic of Gilgamesh
C)  The Book of the Dead
D)  The Torah

Question 20

According to Map 2.1, The Assyrian and Persian Empires, ca. 1000-500 B.C.E., how did Iran's geography affect its development?

Accepted Answer

A)  The central plateau separated the Iranian civilizations from neighboring cultures, giving it an insular quality.
B)  The mountainous northern border prevented Central Asian nomads from moving into Iran, permitting the Iranians' civilization to develop in relative security.
C)  The southern coastline of Iran developed a sophisticated commercial culture, while the plateau region remained isolated and underdeveloped.
D)  The uncrossable salt deserts forced traffic east and west across Iran, establishing a route for trade and communication between East and West.

Exam 2: Small Kingdoms and Mighty Empires in the Near East