Anthropology Practice Test 2026 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide for Exam Success

A primarily foraging-based subsistence strategy is typically not associated with state societies. State societies usually have complex economic systems that go beyond foraging, which is primarily a subsistence strategy focused on gathering wild plants and hunting animals. Instead, state societies are characterized by a diverse range of subsistence strategies that often include agriculture, industry, and trade. These complex practices allow for the support of larger populations and the development of social hierarchies.

In contrast, class stratification is a key feature in state societies where individuals and groups are organized into hierarchical classes based on wealth, power, or social status. Boundary maintenance systems are also crucial in state societies as they define and enforce territorial and political boundaries. Extensive fiscal systems pertain to the management of economic resources and taxation within these societies to support governance and public projects, further distinguishing them from simpler, often more egalitarian societies that rely on foraging.