Prehistory and Early Civilizations Worksheet

What does the term "prehistory" refer to?

• The time before farming

• The time before humans existed

• The time before writing systems were developed

• The time after civilizations began

What is one characteristic that makes up a culture?

• Metal tools

• Language

• Mountains

• Currency

Which of the following was a major invention of the Neolithic Era?

• Cave art

• Fire

• Farming and settled villages

• Hunting tools made from bone

What is the main focus of an anthropologist?

• Mapping the Earth’s surface

• Digging for gold

• Building tools

• Studying human culture and behaviors

Which of the following would an archaeologist most likely study?

• Laws passed by modern governments

• Ancient pottery found at a dig site

• Present-day clothing trends

• Computer-generated maps

Which of these is a primary source?

• A documentary

• A newspaper article about ancient Rome

• A diary written by someone living in ancient Egypt

• A history textbook

What is a secondary source?

• A report written after the event by someone who wasn’t there

• A weapon used in battle

• A clay tablet from Mesopotamia

• A monument built in ancient Greece

Why did early civilizations develop near rivers?

• Rivers offered protection from invasions

• Rivers provided fertile soil and water for irrigation

• Rivers were filled with precious stones

• Rivers created natural borders for kings

Which geographic feature helped protect ancient Egypt from invasion?

• The Nile River

• The Sahara Desert

• The Ganges River

• The Aegean Sea

How did Greece’s mountainous geography impact its development?

• It led to the creation of isolated city-states

• It encouraged large-scale farming

• It made Greece into one large empire

• It created deserts and sandstorms