Final answer:
The statement is false; most people historically did not live in large homes with multiple rooms and running water. Living conditions were largely determined by socioeconomic status, and the standard of living for the majority was modest, with the luxuries of space and running water typically reserved for the affluent or middle class in later periods.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that most people lived in a large home with several rooms and running water is false. Historical evidence indicates that, across different cultures and periods, the majority of people lived in conditions that were far from spacious and well-equipped. Housing configurations and living standards varied significantly depending on social status, region, and the time period in question.
While the homes of the wealthy in Babylon, for example, were multis Room structures with courtyards and separate rooms for different activities, commoners' dwellings were much more modest, often made from simple materials and lacking in luxuries such as running water. Similarly, in the Indus Valley civilization, although some houses had wells to provide running water, most were not of the large, multi-room variety.
Housing during different periods, from medieval serfdom to the industrial era, also shows a sharp contrast between the standards of living. Serfs lived in small, unsanitary conditions with little to no privacy or modern conveniences. In modern history, the introduction of indoor plumbing and improved heating saw a rise in bathing culture and slightly better housing conditions, but this was typically reserved for the middle class and above.
Therefore, the notion that most people had the luxury of spacious homes with several rooms and modern utilities such as running water is misleading and not representative of historical living conditions for the vast majority.