Sixth Grade Social Studies Practice Items

Which time designation fits events that happen today?

• B.C.

• C.E.

• circa

• prehistory

The excerpt describes artifacts at a prehistoric site. What makes the artifacts found at this site significant?

• They provide evidence of the use of bronze weapons.

• They show that children started military training at a young age.

• They indicate that domestication of animals was vital to survival.

• They demonstrate that early humans used tools.

The list below contains some characteristics of early cities. Characteristics of Early Cities - Trading centers - Religious sites - Cultural centers - Administrative centers Which conclusion is supported by the list?

• The development of cities caused problems in rural areas.

• The development of cities resulted in military confrontations.

• The development of cities indicated shortages of open spaces.

• The development of cities reflected the emergence of civilization.

The map below shows ancient Mesopotamia. Which number shows the location of the Zagros Mountains?

• A. 1

• B. 2

• C. 3

• D. 4

The illustration below shows an innovation used in Mesopotamia. Which statement explains how the innovation on the illustration contributed to the growth of civilization in the region?

• by serving as a protective barrier so that it was harder to invade the region

• by helping people to produce more food than they needed for their own use

• by allowing for the faster transportation of goods to market where they could be sold

• by helping people to collect a scarce resource needed for a large urban population to survive

Archaeologists and historians estimate the population of Sumer had grown from 150 people to as many as 100,000 people by 3000 B.C. Which factor allowed this population growth?

• stable food supplies

• widespread open areas

• new scientific discoveries

• increased job opportunities

The excerpt describes the actions of a historical figure. With the Mesopotamian plain under his control, Sargon . . . led these soldiers in campaign after campaign. . . . He crossed the Tigris and seized the land from the Elamites. . . . Campaigning up the Tigris, he reached and conquered the little northern city of Assur, which had been a center for Ishtar-worship. . . . Keeping control of this vast expanse of land required a standing army; the men who “ate bread” in Sargon’s presence daily may have been the first professional soldiers in history. . . . He paid tribute to . . . every important local god. — Susan Wise Bauer, The History of the Ancient World Which sentence identifies the historical significance of Sargon’s reign?

• His rules led to the development of a monotheistic belief system.

• He established the first set of religious edicts for a major civilization.

• His victories led to the establishment of an empire in the region.

• He created the first system of writing that became an alphabet.

The Mesopotamian religion had numerous gods and goddesses. The list below contains a few examples. Mesopotamian Deities Ishtar—goddess of love Nabu—god of scribes and writing Dumuzi—god of shepherds Ea—god of fresh water, farming, and building Gula—goddess of healing Which conclusion about polytheism is supported by the list?

• A. Priests promised to get help from the gods.

• B. People prayed to certain gods based on the need.

• C. Kings required their subjects to only pray to certain gods.

• D. People believed prayers to gods always brought good results.

Who is the goddess of love in Mesopotamian religion?

• Ishtar

• Inanna

• Aphrodite

• Hera

Who is the god of scribes and writing in Mesopotamian religion?

• Nabu

• Marduk

• Enlil

• Anu