Unit 3 - The Mesopotamian Moment

Which group is most likely to study written records?

• geologists

• historians

• archaeologists

What is a primary way an archaeologist would decide where a temple stood?

• Evaluate clues on clay tablets.

• Read about the remains of an ancient statue.

• Dig in a small rise in the landscape.

How did people in Mesopotamia live before city-states were developed?

• They lived as nomads.

• They almost all lived as hunters in groups.

• They lived as craftsmen in towns.

• They lived as farmers and herders in communities.

Which factors caused crops to stop growing in Sumer?

Select Two correct answers. 

• salty soil

• poor drainage

• extended droughts

• pest infestations

Which geographic characteristic was a factor in the decline of Sumer?

• It was located on the Persian Gulf.

• It was located on a flat plain that made it vulnerable to attack.

• It was located far away from rivers.

• The swamps bred insects that carried disease.

Why did Sumerians build ziggurats?

• to serve as temples for the city's god or goddess

• to provide a home for the king

• to track the moon and stars

• to provide a burial place for royalty

Where was the most famous ziggurat?

• Lagash

• Uruk

• Ur

• Kish

What were some physical characteristics of Mesopotamia?

• It was between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

• It had abundant annual rainfall.

• It was in an arid desert.

• It has ample rainfall all year long.

What did Sumerians believe?

Select three correct answers. 

• The Sumerians believed in many gods.

• The Sumerians believed the gods were powerful and unpredictable.

• The Sumerians believed it was their responsibility to keep the gods happy.

• Sumerians believed the gods wanted them to be happy.

What did the Sumerians use to sign their names?

• a cylinder seal

• a signet ring

• stamps and ink pads

• a thumbprint