Final answer:
Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac were the ancestors of the Israelites. Abraham originated from Mesopotamia, and while there is limited archaeological evidence for his existence, the Hebrew Bible provides a narrative of his life and the settling of the Hebrews in Canaan.
Step-by-step explanation:
Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac were the ancestors of people known as the Israelites. Therefore, the correct answer to the fill-in-the-blank question is option b. Israelites.
Origins of Abraham
According to the Hebrew Bible, Abraham originally came from Mesopotamia, which corresponds to option c. Mesopotamia. Specifically, he is said to have left the Mesopotamian city of Ur around 1900 BCE. The Hebrews, including Abraham and his descendants, settled in Canaan and are central figures in the religious texts of Judaism, known as the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible, as well as in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.
Archaeological Evidence
While there is little archaeological evidence to support the precise movements of Abraham, it is established that the Hebrews were settling in Canaan by about 1200 BCE. References to the early Jews as a tribe living in Canaan appear in Egyptian records from 1207 BCE, such as the Merneptah Inscription. Despite the lack of concrete evidence for Abraham's existence outside of religious texts, the Hebrew Bible provides influential narratives that have shaped the history and traditions of the Jewish people.