The rise and fall of history’s first empire

What was the landscape like in which the first Sumerian cities were built?

• Hot and dry with no rainfall

• Lush and green with abundant rainfall

• Mountainous with plenty of trees and stones

• Coastal with access to the sea

What material did the Sumerians use to build their cities?

• Wood and stone

• Bricks made from river mud

• Marble and granite

• Metal and glass

What invention did the Sumerians introduce?

• The wheel

• The printing press

• The steam engine

• The telescope

What was the largest and most important building in a Sumerian city?

• The palace

• The marketplace

• The library

• The ziggurat

What was the purpose of the Sumerian trade network?

• To import food and water

• To export goods and resources

• To establish diplomatic relations

• To spread their religion

What was the impetus for the invention of the world's first writing system?

• Religious rituals

• Artistic expression

• Trade and accounting

• Political propaganda

What did Sumerian scribes study in their schools?

• Farming techniques

• Military strategies

• Mathematics and literature

• Medicine and astronomy

Which empire conquered the Sumerian city-states?

• The Akkadians

• The Assyrians

• The Babylonians

• The Greeks

What happened to the Sumerian people after a series of invasions?

• They migrated to other regions

• They assimilated into other cultures

• They formed a new empire

• They disappeared from history

Which civilizations inherited Sumerian inventions and traditions?

• The Egyptians and Persians

• The Romans and Vikings

• The Greeks and Chinese

• The Akkadians and Babylonians