1) Read: Preston, Samuel H. 1977. "Mortality Trends," Annual Review of Sociology 3:163-78. From approximately which period and region to we begin to have reliable estimates of life expectancy at birth? What is the corresponding level of life expectancy then? Consider the lowest levels of life expectancy in the world today: approximately when was this level reached in today's most advanced countries (in terms of life expectancy)?
2) Read: Kuhn, R. 2010. "Routes to Low Mortality in Poor Countries Revisited," Population and Development Review 36(4): 655-692. (UC-eLinks). Mention a few of the factors that have contributed to relatively high levels of life expectancy in relatively poor countries.