Sumerians

Where did the first civilizations arise because of farming conditions?

• in the mountains

• near the sea

• in river valleys

• in the desert

a method that brings water to crops

• irrigation

• polytheism

• surplus

• cuneiform

The flooded rivers of Mesopotamia carried small particles of rich soil called______

• sand

• silt

• clay

• gravel

Sumer was a decentralized collection of city-states. What does this mean?

• each city-state had its own god

• there was a single capital city

• there was no single ruler of the whole region

• each city-state had its own language

In Mesopotamia, a city-state relied on crops from other regions.

• TRUE

• FALSE

In Sumerian city-states, people worshipped their gods in a temple called a

• cathedral

• shrine

• forum

• ziggurat

a form of writing developed by the people of Sumer

• polytheism

• cuneiform

• irrigation

• silt

Which of the following did Sumerians use to write cuneiform?

• reeds

• pens

• pencils

• sticks

The few Sumerians who learned how to write often held high positions

in society as what?

• artisans

• scribes

• heads of households

• merchants

Sumerians invented ______.

• the wheel

• the compass

• paper money

• gunpowder