History 1121
Essay
Questions For First Exam
1. Discuss the basic elements of the culture
2. What are the Judaic views about (a) man's
purpose in life, (b) the function of the state, and (c) time and history. How do these differ from the myth-making views?
3. How did the Classical Greeks' belief in an
ordered world make a difference in the way the polis was
organized?
4. What did the Jews and the Greeks think
about the following questions:
· (1) How should society be governed, or
how should the state be organized?
· (2)
Of what value is man and how should he live?
· (3) What kind of order or laws or force governs the world? What makes the world go?
5. How did rationalism make Greek culture (to 400 B.C.) different from the
Judaic culture we considered? You may select certain aspects of these cultures
as you compare them.
6. Describe the way of life of a Greek in his
polis (before 400 B.C.).
7. What did a Hebrew and someone from
· (1) Man -- of what value is man and how should man live?
· (2) the World -- what order, laws or force govern it?
8. Create in an appropriate form an exchange of ideas between a Greek and
Hebrew on two of the major topics of discussion in any culture, viz., the nature and purpose of man,
how is the world governed, what is the divine force. (Use any materials
presented to you for information. Creativity will be rewarded).
9. Organize an essay in which
you discuss the idea of the Good Life as the Hebrews, and Greeks thought of it.
Give the basic definitions of each about the Good Life, illustrate with some
examples, and try to do your best writing as you do so.
10. The Romans admired the qualities of
self-subordination, duty, self-reliance, seriousness, and simplicity. How are these qualities demonstrated
by the Romans? (Give specific examples).