History 354 Women and Gender in the Middle East
REVIEW FOR TEST #1
Feb. 4, 2003

The test will cover everything from the beginning of the semester through Jan. 30th: readings, class lectures and discussions, and the video, "Women and Gender in Islam."

II. Format

• There will be one essay question worth 30 points
• five definitions of terms, worth two points each (10 points)
• 10 objective questions-- fill in the blanks, multiple choice, true/false--worth one point each (10 points).

a) THE ESSAY

The essays must include:

• A thesis statement.
• SPECIFIC evidence to back up your thesis. The most common problem with essays on students' exams is vagueness and lack of specific evidence. Avoid using broad, vague concepts and ideas. Mention specific individuals, events, concepts -- whatever is relevant to your argument -- as much as is possible or appropriate.

ESSAY QUESTION: The following are the essay questions to prepare. You will have only one on the exam.

1.) How did the position of women in Arabia change with the advent of Islam? Discuss not only the changes but the process of change. Be specific.

2.) How did Islamic ideology on women and gender in the early period originate and become the basis for Islamic law? What were the influences and forces which shaped the process? What role did interpretation play in the process?

The essays will be evaluated on the following:

• The quality of your thesis statement.
• The quality, amount and use of specific evidence to support your thesis.
• The organization of the essay.
• The clarity and quality of the writing.

In a short paragraph of several sentences, include:

• a definition of the item/concept or person (what is it or what does it mean? If it is a person, who was s/he?)
• a statement that explains the SIGNIFICANCE of that item/concept or person, especially as it relates to the history of women in the Middle East.

shari`ah (also sometimes spelled shari`a)
Qur'an  (also sometimes spelled Koran)
nomad
Jahilia (sometime Jahiliyya or Jahiliyyah)
polyandry
polygyny (same as polygamy)
matrilineal
patrilineal
Khadijah (also Khadija)
hijra
Mecca
Muhammad
Medina
`iddah  (also `idda)
mahr
hadith
Umayyad caliphate (661-750), based in Damascus (Syria)
Abbasid caliphate (750-1258), based in Baghdad (Iraq)
`A'ishah [also `A'isha]
`Ali
hejab [usually, hijab]

Fill in the blank. (Test bank provided.)

The _______________________ , an important source of Islamic law, are short narratives about Muhammad and his contemporaries collected into written form.

The answer????

True or False.

According to the article, "From Concubines to Capitalists," Mamluk women had more economic than sexual autonomy. True ___________   False____________.