Mesopotamia: From Nomads to Farmers

Which of the following was NOT an invention of the Sumerians?

• the plow

• a system of writing

• a 365- day calendar

• the wheel

Why was Mesopotamia such a good are for growing crops?

• The land was covered with heavy vegetation.

• The rivers flooded, making it easier for planters to pull out weeds that might harm crops.

• The area did not have any agricultural pests.

• The rivers flooded and deposited rich soil.

What tools did the Mesopotamians use for writing?

• A sharpened piece of reed, called a stylus, used on clay tablets.

• A slender piece of wood that they dipped into colorful dyes.

• A large, feather pen that they dipped in ink.

• A darkened reed that they dipped into a mixture of charcoal and water.

Besides the ruler, who had the highest position in the social hierarchy?

• a scribe

• a caravan merchant

• a priest

• a soldier in the king's army

How did the Sumerians keep time?

• They used an abacus to count the days and nights.

• They invented a calendar based on the moon and stars.

• They improved the function of sundials.

• They formulated the first mathematical equations to determine the hours in a day.

What was the result of the invention of the wheel?

• It controlled the irrigation devices to prevent flooding.

• It allowed the Sumerians to move faster in battles.

• It made people more dependent on human strength for transportation.

• It gave the Sumerians more freedom of movement.

Which statement best describes the benefits of a city-state?

• It governed surrounding lands and had its own ruler.

• It prevented wars with neighboring cities over land and water rights.

• It allowed people to engage in other professions and be educated.

• It united all the people under a central government.

Why were ziggurats important to the Sumerians?

• Scrolls that documented Mesopotamian history were encased in ziggurats.

• They were built as tombs for the kings.

• They protected the city from invaders.

• They were built as temples to honor the gods and goddesses.

How did the Sumerians solve the problem of flooding?

• They diverted the flow of the rivers into other areas.

• They rotated farming with nomadic herding.

• They built terraces on the mountains.

• They used gated ditches and levees.

Unlike the Egyptian pharaohs, the rulers of the city-states were not worshipped as gods.

• True.

• False