Unit 3 (Mesopotamia)

Which contributes MOST to the fertility of the land near rivers?

• heavy tropical storms
• rich silt deposits from river bottom
• abundant rainfall near the Mediterranean Sea
• Minerals from nearby 

Why was irrigation so important to the ancient Mesopotamian civilization?

• Without irrigation,there would not have been such a large agricultural surplus.
• Irrigation gave farmers a chance to rest.
• Building irrigation projects was a way for Mesopotamian men to feel proud of their villages.
• Irrigation was an important religious practice

The two major rivers located in Mesopotamia are the ________________ and _______________.

• Tigris and Euphrates
• Indus and Ganges
• Indus and Euphrates
• Nile and Yellow

The writing developed by the Sumerians that used wedge-shaped marks made in soft clay

• cursive
• hieroglyphics
• cuneiform
• cave paintings

What was the purpose of irrigation?

• To keep crops dry
• to provide water to crops
• provide plumbing in the cities
• To give people water to bathe in

The river valley civilizations were all built around...

• Oceans
• Mountains
• Rivers
• Deserts

Which civilization grew next to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers?

• Mesopotamia
• India
• China
• Egypt

What is cuneiform? 

• Egyptian writing system
• Harappan writing system
• scroll-like writing of the Aryans
• wedge-shaped writing of the Sumerians

The building of a canal to bring water to farms is an example of _____.  

• domestication 
• diasphora
• transferance
• irrigation 

Early civilizations - Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus, and China-- formed along rivers because...

• Rivers made it possible to rely on farming rather than hunting and gathering. 
• Rivers provided great views and breezes. 
• Early humans believed gods lived along the rivers. 
• Rivers offered more fish and wildlife to eat.