HIST 3370 Study Guide - Fall 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes -
HIST 3370
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
Discussion 1
First of all, the settled agriculture is represented by Cain, while Abel is represented as one of the
major fundamentals for the cities’ development as well as nomadic herding. An additional
emphasis in this context should be put on the advanced methods of subsistence, which have
succeeded hunting and gathering as well as have been in the process of an all-time competition
with each other. This claim may be supported with the following: even after becoming almost
completely settled farmers, the herding lifestyle was still romanticized by the Hebrews. In such a
manner, it is possible to trace the economic and social development of humanity (as the Neolithic
humans made a large-scale change in the lifestyle) from a herding one to settled farming. After
reading Genesis, it is possible to claim that the starting point for the coexistence of agriculture
and herding, as well as the starting point for the economic evolution of the society, started almost
10 thousand years ago. Farming has brought large-scale changes into the patterns of human lives.
As an outcome, the social, economic and political developments have taken their places (as it
may be traced from the tale about Cain and Abel in Genesis).
It is possible to assume that the brother’s contending represents the change which has created an
option for the sedentary life. In other words, the story of Cain and Abel and the generations
living after them represent the realities of the revolution in agriculture as well as creates the
essential insights into the way humanity has evolved and changed its lifestyle (while establishing
economic and social systems as well as the creation of a political order).
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Discussion 2 – The Great Flood
Many versions of the Great Flood story abound in different cultures around the world. For
instance, the Chinese, the Greeks, and other cultures have their own versions of the story. The
Chaldaean and Hebrew versions of the Great Flood tale are quite popular. While both versions
are very similar, there are also some significant differences.
There are many similarities between the Chaldaean and Hebrew versions of the Great Flood. For
example, the future is foretold to Gilgamesh by a God, Pernapishtirn. Similarly, the Jewish god,
Jehovah, foretells the event of a flood to Noah. Both men are instructed to build a boat that is
stocked with all the available living animals. In addition, both the Chaldaean gods and the one
god of the Hebrews, Jehovah, destroy those who are not deemed worthy with the waters of the
flood. Also, when the deluge ends, both Noah and Gilgamesh send out birds to determine
whether the flood waters had receded. Gilgamesh sent out a dove, a swallow, and a raven, while
Noah sent out a raven and a dove.
However, both stories contrast significantly. Gilgamesh is told to build a boat with exact
dimensions and takes extra men with him, while Noah is not given the dimensions of the boat he
is supposed to build and takes only his wife, two sons, and their wives. Another important
distinction is that Jehovah reflects the monotheistic beliefs of the Hebrews, while the
intervention of several gods reflects the polytheistic beliefs of the Chaldaeans.
Both these flood stories surely reflect a belief in a primeval deluge in Mesopotamia as the name
of the river, Euphrates, is mentioned in the Chaldaean story (an actual river in Mesopotamia).
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Document Summary
First of all, the settled agriculture is represented by cain, while abel is represented as one of the major fundamentals for the cities" development as well as nomadic herding. An additional emphasis in this context should be put on the advanced methods of subsistence, which have succeeded hunting and gathering as well as have been in the process of an all-time competition with each other. This claim may be supported with the following: even after becoming almost completely settled farmers, the herding lifestyle was still romanticized by the hebrews. In such a manner, it is possible to trace the economic and social development of humanity (as the neolithic humans made a large-scale change in the lifestyle) from a herding one to settled farming. After reading genesis, it is possible to claim that the starting point for the coexistence of agriculture and herding, as well as the starting point for the economic evolution of the society, started almost.
