Solomon's death led to the split of the Kingdom of Israel from Judah; which king's death precipitated this split?

Solomon's death led to the split of the Kingdom of Israel from Judah; which king's death precipitated this split?

• A. David
• B. Solomon
• C. Rehoboam
• D. Hezekiah

Answer: (B)

The central idea is how a unified kingdom can fracture at a moment of succession when a new ruler must decide how to govern a population already burdened by heavy demands. Solomon’s reign had built a strong centralized state with significant taxes and forced labor to fund grand projects, including the Temple. When Solomon dies, his son Rehoboam becomes king and quickly signals that he plans to maintain or even tighten those burdens rather than ease them. The ten northern tribes, weary of the strain, reject his rule and appoint Jeroboam as their king, leading to the division: Israel in the north and Judah in the south under Rehoboam. So Solomon’s death is the trigger, because it ends the era of a single, centralized monarchy and exposes the grievances that push the people toward rebellion. The other figures don’t fit this moment: David died before Solomon, Hezekiah rules later and after the split, and the split isn’t caused by Rehoboam’s death but by the reaction to his father’s policies and succession.

The central idea is how a unified kingdom can fracture at a moment of succession when a new ruler must decide how to govern a population already burdened by heavy demands. Solomon’s reign had built a strong centralized state with significant taxes and forced labor to fund grand projects, including the Temple. When Solomon dies, his son Rehoboam becomes king and quickly signals that he plans to maintain or even tighten those burdens rather than ease them. The ten northern tribes, weary of the strain, reject his rule and appoint Jeroboam as their king, leading to the division: Israel in the north and Judah in the south under Rehoboam. So Solomon’s death is the trigger, because it ends the era of a single, centralized monarchy and exposes the grievances that push the people toward rebellion. The other figures don’t fit this moment: David died before Solomon, Hezekiah rules later and after the split, and the split isn’t caused by Rehoboam’s death but by the reaction to his father’s policies and succession.