|
1st
Century Palestine |
21st
Century USA |
| Life
expectancy is about 20
years at birth. If you
make it to age 5, life
expectancy doubles to about 40 years. |
Life
expectancy is about
70-75 years. |
| "Family" means an
extended group of
relatives, usually 3
generations, living
together. In half
of all couples,
at least one, maybe
both, spouses die during
the child-bearing and
child-raising years. |
"Family" means two
parents and two
children (the
"ideal"
family). Grandparents,
uncles, and aunts live far
away. Both spouses
expect to survive the
child-raising years. |
| Husbands/fathers
rule family life.
Their authority is not
questioned. |
Equality
of husbands and wives
is the ideal. |
| Parents
arrange marriages for
their children. |
Children
choose whom they want
to marry. |
| The
ideal mate is a cousin
or other close
relative (endogamous
marriage). |
Laws
require that cousins
or other close
relatives do not marry
(exogamous marriage). |
| Newlyweds
usually live with the
groom's parents. |
Newlyweds
usually live in a new
residence. |
| The
oldest son receives a
double portion of the
inheritance and other
sons a single portion.
Daughters only receive
dowries. |
No
inheritance rules. |
| One's
primary identity comes
from belonging to a
particular family. |
One's
primary identity comes
from one's occupation. |
