Question 1

The construction of monumental architecture such as the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan required a form of organization that persuaded the population to provide labor for the benefit of the state.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

What theories account for the structural similarities between the Egyptian pyramids and those in Mesoamerica?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What theories account for the structural similarities...

Question 3

With the intensification of social stratification, differences between the ruling elite and the rest of the population decreased.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

Populations of agrarian civilizations grew rapidly because of:

Accepted Answer

A)  higher birthrates 
B)  decreased infant mortality 
C)  declines in the spread of infectious diseases 
D)  overall increases in the standard of living

Question 5

How do property rights differ in agricultural states from those in forager and tribal societies?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How do property rights differ in agricultural...

Question 6

Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism are considered religions because their spiritual messages apply to all of humanity rather than just their own cultural history and legacy.

Accepted Answer

A)  ecclesiastical 
B)  animistic 
C)  universalistic 
D)  volatile 
E)  restrained

Question 7

Since individualistic religious practices and beliefs were deemed as threatening to the state, one of the major functions of priests was to standardize religious beliefs and practices for the society.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

State organized rituals that reinforced divine authority of the ruler are known as:

Accepted Answer

A)  rites of authority 
B)  rites of legitimation 
C)  rites of power 
D)  ceremonies of intimidation 
E)  rituals of sanctification

Question 9

What are the current theories concerning Aztec warfare? Discuss the unique position human sacrifice held in the Aztec religion.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the current theories concerning Aztec...

Question 10

From a cross-cultural study, Jack Goody learned that bridewealth occurs more frequently in horticultural societies, whereas the dowry system is most frequently found in agricultural states. He further hypothesized that one function of the dowry system was to:

Accepted Answer

A)  consolidate property in the hands of elite groups, thus increasing their wealth and status 
B)  spread wealth out over a larger area so that everyone in the society had about the same level of affluence 
C)  counteract the practice of bridewealth, non-adaptive in an agricultural state, because it allowed certain families to accumulate too much wealth by selling their daughters to the highest bidder 
D)  create an egalitarian society

Question 11

Large-scale, bureaucratic empires that organized and controlled wide-ranging territories included:

Accepted Answer

A)  the Mayan and Aztec empires that ruled over millions of people 
B)  Eastern India, which dominated Asia with a large centralized bureaucracy 
C)  African states in which the ruling body was a royal lineage 
D)  Near Eastern empires such as Palestine 
E)  Japan's powerful dynasties, based upon a large, educated populace

Question 12

A civilization is a complex society that includes such things as an urban center, extensive food surpluses, a specialized division of labor, a method of record keeping, and monumental architecture.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

If you were an archaeologist excavating a site, how would you determine if the site was an agricultural state (civilization) or not? What evidence would you look for, and what criteria would you use?

Accepted Answer

The answer of If you were an archaeologist excavating a...

Question 14

Why do you think marriages of the elite were frequently endogamous, while peasants generally married outside their extended families or large kin groups?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why do you think marriages of the...

Question 15

Except among the elite, polygyny was rare in agricultural states.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Ecclesiastical religions are limited to specific territories and are tied to a particular state organization, while universalistic religions espouse spiritual messages that apply to all of humanity.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

The transition from foraging to food production:

Accepted Answer

A)  leads to higher mortality rates, poorer sanitation, and decreased life expectancies 
B)  is always accompanied by an immediate decrease in population density 
C)  was accomplished in one area of the world, and then diffused to other areas 
D)  caused mortality to decline, populations to increase in size, and life expectancy to increase

Question 18

According to Morton Fried, codified laws reinforce a system of inequity by keeping peasants subordinate while allowing those in power to have access to scarce resources. Service provides a different perspective. What is Service's perspective?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Morton Fried, codified laws reinforce...

Question 19

It has been argued that warfare and conquest were instrumental in the development of agricultural states. Do you agree with this view?

Accepted Answer

The answer of It has been argued that warfare and...

Question 20

Low fertility rates in agricultural states ensured that the population did not grow too rapidly, outstripping the resources in the area.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 11: Agricultural States

The construction of monumental architecture such as the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan required a form of organization that persuaded the population to provide labor for the benefit of the state.

What theories account for the structural similarities between the Egyptian pyramids and those in Mesoamerica?

With the intensification of social stratification, differences between the ruling elite and the rest of the population decreased.

Populations of agrarian civilizations grew rapidly because of:

How do property rights differ in agricultural states from those in forager and tribal societies?

Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism are considered religions because their spiritual messages apply to all of humanity rather than just their own cultural history and legacy.

Since individualistic religious practices and beliefs were deemed as threatening to the state, one of the major functions of priests was to standardize religious beliefs and practices for the society.

State organized rituals that reinforced divine authority of the ruler are known as:

What are the current theories concerning Aztec warfare? Discuss the unique position human sacrifice held in the Aztec religion.

From a cross-cultural study, Jack Goody learned that bridewealth occurs more frequently in horticultural societies, whereas the dowry system is most frequently found in agricultural states. He further hypothesized that one function of the dowry system was to:

Large-scale, bureaucratic empires that organized and controlled wide-ranging territories included:

A civilization is a complex society that includes such things as an urban center, extensive food surpluses, a specialized division of labor, a method of record keeping, and monumental architecture.

If you were an archaeologist excavating a site, how would you determine if the site was an agricultural state (civilization) or not? What evidence would you look for, and what criteria would you use?

Why do you think marriages of the elite were frequently endogamous, while peasants generally married outside their extended families or large kin groups?

Except among the elite, polygyny was rare in agricultural states.

Ecclesiastical religions are limited to specific territories and are tied to a particular state organization, while universalistic religions espouse spiritual messages that apply to all of humanity.

The transition from foraging to food production:

According to Morton Fried, codified laws reinforce a system of inequity by keeping peasants subordinate while allowing those in power to have access to scarce resources. Service provides a different perspective. What is Service's perspective?

It has been argued that warfare and conquest were instrumental in the development of agricultural states. Do you agree with this view?

Low fertility rates in agricultural states ensured that the population did not grow too rapidly, outstripping the resources in the area.