Ancient Sumer

A society has a stable food supply if:

• It gives food to the king

• It has enough food for its people

• it buys food from other groups

• it gets food from hunting and gathering

The Sumerian civilization had a social structure with different social levels and jobs. A social structure is:

• the way a civilization is organized

• how many taxes a king collects from slaves

• the way scribes record social events

• how the government treats the lower clasases

Which of these ancient Sumerians mosty likely lived in a two-story house near the center of the city?

• a skilled metalworker

• a fisherman

• a government official

• a merchant

Small mud-brick houses at the edge of the city were the homes of:

• slaves

• traders

• potters

• farmers

Which one of these inventions most affected the food supply in Sumer?

• the arch

• the plow

• the wheel

• the chariot

Whose job was it to lead the army, enforce the laws, and have temples built?

• the king

• the priests

• the scribes

• the council

Which Sumerian belief about the king helped strengthen the social order?

• The king was supported by the gods

• the king cared most about the poor

• the king consulted wise advisors

• the king wanted everyone to be happy

Why were scribes important in Sumerian government?

• to entertain the rulers

• to write down the laws

• to collect taxes

• to teach children

The ziggurat was most closely related to which of these features of Sumerian civilization?

• food

• writing

• religion

• government

Which evidence shows that the Sumerians lived after the Stone Age?

• brick houses

• wooden plows

• copper jewelry

• painted pottery