ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA: Geography

Which statement best explains why Mesopotamia is called the land between the rivers?

• It lies between the Nile and Indus rivers.

• It is located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

• It is bordered by the Mediterranean and Red seas.

• It separates northern and southern deserts.

Match each Mesopotamian term with its correct description.

• A region with an arching, crescent shape and rich land ideal for agriculture

• Irrigation

• Thick bed of mud deposited by flooding rivers that made soil fertile

• City-state

• Primitive systems used by Sumerians to bring river water to crops

• Fertile Crescent

• A city and the area that surrounds it functioning with its own government

• Silt

What major benefit did the Tigris and Euphrates rivers provide to early Mesopotamian civilization?

• Access to gold deposits

• Lifeblood for agriculture through water and fertile soil

• A natural barrier preventing invasions

• A direct trade route to Egypt

Which environmental challenge most threatened early Mesopotamian settlements?

• Frequent earthquakes destroyed ziggurats

• Unpredictable flooding and openness of the land to invasion

• Volcanic eruptions covered fields with ash

• Long polar winters limited growing seasons

According to the text, why are the Sumerians remembered as the first civilization?

• They were monotheistic and avoided warfare.

• Their settlements showed evidence of record keeping, advanced technology, specialized workers, and complex institutions.

• They built the first pyramids out of stone.

• They invented coin money and democracy.

In Sumerian religion, what was the purpose of the ziggurat within a city?

• A defensive fortress used during sieges

• The center of religious life where priests conducted rituals

• A marketplace for traders

• A royal palace for the king

Which statement correctly describes the political organization of Sumer over time?

• It quickly unified under a single ruler and remained one kingdom.

• It developed many cities that became independent city-states with unique governments and customs.

• It was ruled by nomadic tribes without permanent settlements.

• It was governed by a council representing all Mediterranean regions.

Who created the world’s first empire by bringing together people from Northern and Southern Mesopotamia?

• Hammurabi

• Gilgamesh

• Sargon of Akkad

• Ashurbanipal

What was significant about Hammurabi’s Code?

• It was the earliest known monotheistic creed.

• It was the first set of codified laws in human history, listing rules and punishments.

• It abolished slavery throughout Mesopotamia.

• It established a democratic assembly for all citizens.

Which statement best defines a city-state in ancient Sumer?

• A city and the surrounding area that functions independently with its own government

• A group of villages ruled by traveling merchants

• A province directly controlled by an emperor

• A region with shared culture but no central government