Chapter 4: The Rise of Sumerian City-States

The name of Mesopotamia comes from its location, which was...

• at the site of the earliest cities

• between two rivers

• in mountain foothills

The environment of Sumer was...

• low and flat, with little rain

• hilly and dry, with many stones

• high and cold, with sharp mountain peaks

Why were Sumerian communities called city-states?

• They all depended on each other for water

• Each of them had its own ruler and farmland

• They were all part of one great empire

Which fact allowed Neolithic people to farm in the foothills of the Zagros Mountains?

• The region had plenty of rain

• Goats can live on dry grass

• Harsh climates are good for grains

What development caused food shortages in the Zagros foothills?

• fighting between villages

• overuse of the soil

• increase in population

What solution did people in the Zagros foothills find to fix the problem of food shortages?

• building terraces

• moving to the south

• constructing reservoirs

One factor that made farming difficult in the area of Sumer was...

• lack of rainfall

• growth of weeds

• steep hillsides

Why did the rivers flood in the spring?

• Ice that had formed on the rivers broke into bits.

• Strong winds blew from the Persian Gulf

• Snow melted in the mountains where the rivers began.

What was the chief purpose of dams and reservoirs?

• to store water for later use

• to protect villages from attack

• to allow travel by boat

Why was silt a problem for the people for Sumer?

• It ruined the soil for planting.

• It clogged the irrigation canals.

• It wasn't a problem at all