Unit 2 Test Review

Ancient Mesopotamia was located between which two rivers?

• Mississippi and Rock

• Tigris and Euphrates

• Missouri and Wisconsin

• Nile and Amazon

Answer explanation

Ancient Mesopotamia was situated between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which are crucial to its geography and history. The other options refer to rivers in different regions, making them incorrect.

What did the Mesopotamians write on?

• Dirt

• Rocks

• Paper

• Clay tablets

Answer explanation

The Mesopotamians primarily wrote on clay tablets, which were used for record-keeping and communication. This method was more durable than writing on dirt or rocks, making clay tablets the correct choice.

The empires of Mesopotamia built _________________ to honor their gods.

• statues

• pyramids

• ziggurats

• roads

Answer explanation

The empires of Mesopotamia built ziggurats as massive structures to honor their gods. Unlike pyramids, ziggurats were step-like temples that served as a bridge between the earth and the divine.

Who was the Babylonian King who created the earliest known collection of laws?

• Sargon

• Hammurabi

• Eannatum

• Nebuchadnezzar

Answer explanation

Hammurabi was the Babylonian king known for creating the Code of Hammurabi, the earliest known collection of laws, which established legal standards and justice in ancient Babylon.

What is the term for the writing system developed by the Sumerians that used wedge-shaped marks made in soft clay?

• Writing

• Monotheism

• Cuneiform

• Fertile Crescent

Answer explanation

The writing system developed by the Sumerians is called Cuneiform. It is characterized by wedge-shaped marks made in soft clay, distinguishing it from other forms of writing.

A city that governs itself and its surrounding territory.

• City-state

• Province

• Empire

• Mesopotamia

Answer explanation

A city-state is a self-governing city that also controls its surrounding territory, making it the correct answer. Other options like province, empire, and Mesopotamia do not fit this definition.

What is the system that supplies dry land with water through ditches, pipes, or streams?

• Fertile Crescent

• Polytheism

• Cuneiform

• Irrigation

Answer explanation

The system that supplies dry land with water through ditches, pipes, or streams is called irrigation. It is essential for agriculture, especially in arid regions, to ensure crops receive adequate water.

Why was writing first invented?

• To display laws

• To communicate with foreign lands

• To act as a form of entertainment

• To keep record of business transactions

Answer explanation

Writing was first invented primarily to keep records of business transactions, allowing for accurate tracking of trade and resources, which was essential for the development of complex societies.

What is the name of the earliest piece of written literature that still survives today?

• The Epic of Gilgamesh

• The Ballad of the Babylonian Wars

• The Elegy of Enkidu

• Bad, Bad Leroy Brown

Answer explanation

The Epic of Gilgamesh is recognized as the earliest surviving piece of written literature, dating back to ancient Mesopotamia. It tells the story of Gilgamesh, a legendary king, and explores themes of friendship and mortality.

The people of Sumer practiced _____________, the worship of many gods.

• polytheism

• monotheism

• Christianity

• Catholicism

Answer explanation

The people of Sumer practiced polytheism, which is the worship of many gods. This distinguishes it from monotheism, the belief in a single god, and other specific religions like Christianity and Catholicism.