Essay Questions for Thinking through Sources 2

1. Making comparisons: If you came across these sources in one place, would you be more struck by the similarities or the differences of the civilizations they represent?
2. Considering past and present: What elements of social life from these earliest of civilizations still resonate in the twenty-first century? What elements remain strange or unfamiliar to modern sensibilities?
3. Reading between the lines: Historians often use documents to obtain insights or information that the authors did not intend to convey. How might Sources 2.1, 2.3, and 2.5 be used in this fashion? What are the advantages and dangers in this use of ancient texts?
4. Considering written and visual sources: What kind of insights can we derive from visual sources that are not available in written documents?