CHAPTER 2
Communal Equality to Slavery in the Middle East
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
12. The dominant ideology in early communal societies viewed technology as
a. fixed and unalterable.
b. subject to rapid and beneficial changes.
c. unknown, since there was no technology in early communal societies.
d. consisting of complicated iron tools and machinery.
13. The Neolithic revolution was characterized by 3 great discoveries which were
a. fire, hunting and gathering, and simple stone tools.
b. better stone tools, farming and herding, and pottery.
c. hunting and gathering, farming and herding, and the barter system.
d. farming and herding, iron tools, and the feudal system.
14. The Neolithic Revolution began approximately
a. 1 million years BCE.
b. 6,000 years ago.
c. 10,000 years BCE.
d. in the 3rd century.
15. Increasing productivity in early societies allowed the production of a surplus. What is the
definition of a surplus?
a. A surplus is the amount of food above the level needed for survival.
b. A surplus is the amount of food that no one wants.
c. A surplus is the amount of food remains after paying tribute to the kings.
d. A surplus is the amount of food that is not needed by the Army.
16. The spread of knowledge of farming by the movement of ideas from one village to another is
called
a. colonialism.
b. the barter system.
c. diffusion.
d. propaganda
17.
a. the level and sophistication of tools.
b. the amount of output produced by each worker.
c. the total amount of output produced in a given village.
d. the amount of food above the level needed for survival.
18. What important changes occurred along with rising productivity and increase in the size of
the surplus?
a. an increase in equality.
b. an decrease in the size of villages and towns.
c. an increase in the distinction between the rich and the poor.
d. an increase in the importance of hunting and gathering.
19. The dominant ideology in ancient Greek and Roman society argued that slavery
a. was inconsistent with biblical teachings.
b. was cruel and unnecessary.
c.
d. was only a temporary evil which society would soon be rid of.
20. In Greece and Rome, the number of independent farmers tended to decline over time. Which
of the following was not a contributing factor to this decline?
a. Independent farmers were often drafted into the army for long periods of time.
b. Independent farmers found it difficult to compete with the larger plantations that used
slave labor.
c. Independent farmers were not allowed to own land.
d. Independent farmers were sometimes unable to pay the high taxes levied on their farms.
21. Why did workers in the cities who were not slaves remain poor?
a. Workers who charged high prices for their goods or services were imprisoned.
b. Workers who charged high prices for their goods were enslaved.
c. Workers lacked sufficient expertise to make high quality goods.
d. Workers could only charge low prices since most items were made with slave labor.
22. Which of the following correctly describes the institutional features of ancient slave society?
a. economic institutions: common ownership by extended family
social institutions: group consensus.
b. economic institutions: slaves work, masters take product
ideology: community togetherness and equality
c. economic institutions: slaves work, masters take product
technology: new stone tools to iron tools, farming and herding.
d. economic institutions: common ownership by extended family
ideology: racism and sexism
23. The earliest farming techniques and the earliest farmers were
a. men
b. women
c. slaves
d. children
24. Wealth in the form of personal belonging, buildings, herds of animals or fertile land
a. did not exist in early communal societies.
b. existed in some form in very early communal societies.
c. began to accumulate the transitional period.
d. did not exist in ancient slave societies.