Important reasons for studying history are recognizing patterns, connecting the past to the present and revealing past contributions of civilizations.
The best explanation for the lack of a trade route between Phoenicia and Memphis, the capital of lower Egypt, is that "<span>overland travel between Phoenicia and Memphis was too difficult" since the terrain was highly uneven. </span>
About a nickel.
The oldest statistical data I can locate doesn't have information earlier than 1913, but in 1913 the average loaf of bread was shown at 5.6 cents. This was as reported in <em>Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970 (volume 2),</em> as published by the <span>U.S. Department of Commerce.</span>
Or, as another example, the Denver post reported that in 1912 Hurlbut's--which was then a grocery store in Denver--advertised "<span>six loaves of 'homemade' bread for 25 cents," which would work out as a special price less than 5 cents per loaf for the store's bakery bread. (Source: "A Titanic Difference in the Cost of Living 100 Years Later, <em>The Denver Post, </em>March 16, 2012.)</span>
The correct answer is (d.) a place where Muslim philosophers met to contemplate life. The House of Wisdom was actually a major intellectual center for well-known scholars during the Golden Age that made many remarkable contributions to the diverse fields.
The checks and balances system in the Constitution is important because it helps to prevent any one branch of government from gaining too much power. The three main branches are the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. Here are some examples. The President can veto a bill passed by Congress, preventing it from becoming law. This is an executive branch check on the legislative branch. In turn, the Congress can vote to override that veto with a two thirds majority in both the Senate and House, and the bill will become law. This is a Legislative check on the Executive branch. Finally, the Supreme Court, when ruling on a case, decide to use its power of judicial review to declare some law of Congress or act of the President unconstitutional. This is a judicial check on both the executive and legislative branches. Hope this helps