How did the Phoenician alphabet simplify writing?

Question:

How the Phoenician Alphabet Simplified Writing:

The ability to read and write was rare throughout the ancient Mediterranean and the Near East; it was a special skill learned by scribes or the engravers who carved inscriptions. While this was particularly true of complicated systems like hieroglyphics and cuneiform, even relatively simple alphabets like Hebrew, Greek and Latin were learned by a small group of professionals who copied out texts for their employers (or owners, if they were slaves); or—like Ezra the scribe—read texts aloud for others in public settings. In fact, the ancient world seems to have assumed that reading was a group activity rather than a solitary one.

Answer and Explanation: