Meyer: Mesopotamia Geography: The Land Between Two Rivers Quiz

Why do you think ancient civilizations chose to settle in Mesopotamia despite knowing about the flooding risks?

• The benefits of fertile soil and water outweighed the risks
• They had no other choice because everywhere else was occupied
• The floods were actually helpful for transportation
• The floods only happened once every hundred years

If you were an ancient Mesopotamian farmer, what would be your biggest concern when deciding where to build your farm?

• Building near the mountains for cooler weather
• Being close to both water sources and fertile soil
• Staying away from other people to avoid conflict
• Finding the prettiest location with the best view

How did the geographic differences between northern Mesopotamia (Assyria) and southern Mesopotamia (Babylonia) likely affect their development?

• Southern regions were more advanced because they had better soil
• Northern regions focused more on natural farming while southern regions became experts in irrigation
• Geographic differences had no impact on how people lived
• Both regions developed exactly the same way

What can you infer about why Mesopotamians became skilled traders based on their geography?

• Trading was easier than farming in their climate
• They had too many natural resources and needed to get rid of them
• They were bored and wanted to meet new people
• They lacked many materials like stone and wood, so they needed to trade for them

Why do you think the development of writing was connected to Mesopotamia's geographic advantages?

• Writing was invented by accident when people drew in the mud
• Surplus food allowed some people to specialize in record-keeping instead of farming
• People had nothing else to do during flood seasons
• The clay from rivers was perfect for writing tablets

If Mesopotamia had been surrounded by mountains instead of being on flat plains, how might their civilization have developed differently?

• They would have been less successful because mountains are always bad for civilizations
• They would have been better protected from invaders but trade would have been more difficult
• Nothing would have changed because geography doesn't matter
• They would have developed faster because mountains provide more resources

What does the fact that Mesopotamians invented irrigation systems tell us about their relationship with their environment?

• They preferred artificial systems over natural ones
• They were lazy and didn't want to move somewhere with more rain
• They were innovative problem-solvers who adapted to geographic challenges
• They didn't understand how rivers worked

How did the seasonal flooding patterns likely influence Mesopotamian society and culture?

• People probably developed calendars and planning systems to prepare for floods
• People moved to different locations every season
• Flooding had no impact on how people organized their lives
• Flooding made people give up farming entirely

Why might historians say that Mesopotamia's location was both a 'blessing and a curse'?

• The soil was good but there were too many wild animals
• It was beautiful but too crowded
• People loved living there but the weather was always bad
• The rivers provided resources but also brought destructive floods and made defense difficult

What can you conclude about the relationship between geography and innovation in ancient Mesopotamia?

• Geography prevented any innovation from happening
• Innovation happened despite geography, not because of it
• Geographic challenges forced people to become creative inventors
• Only people in perfect geographic conditions can innovate