Mastery Assessments 2025-2026 — Social Studies, 6th Grade

What is the primary characteristic of a monarchy?

• rule by one king or queen

• rule by elected leaders

• rule shared by all citizens

• rule by a group of nobles

This chart shows impacts of Socrates on Ancient Greek thought: one bubble says “taught Plato and used questioning to explore ideas,” another says “influenced how people think about justice and truth,” and a third bubble with a question mark indicates a missing impact. Which impact best completes this chart?

• opposed military training and physical education

• encouraged critical thinking through public discussion

• taught students to accept myths without question

• created plays and stories about Greek heroes

Why is the Epic of Gilgamesh considered a significant achievement of Ancient Mesopotamian civilization?

• It provided guidance on constructing religious temples.

• It established one of the earliest systems of written laws.

• It is considered one of the oldest written stories in history.

• It introduced advanced methods for mathematical recordkeeping.

Which factors led to the fall of the Western Roman Empire? Select two that apply.

• decrease in trade

• introduction of enslaved labor

• decrease in crop production

• defeat of Germanic tribes

• expansion into North Africa

This is an excerpt from Consequences of Agriculture in Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and the Levant written by John M. Marston in 2017: "Economic transformation [came with] the expansion of agriculture throughout…the societies of [Southwest Asia]. These farmsteads and villages…formed the backbone of agricultural production, which enabled [exchangeable] surpluses necessary for [economic growth]." According to this excerpt, how did the development of agriculture impact early human civilizations?

• It decreased the populations of cities.

• It inspired the creation of hunter-gatherer communities.

• It inspired the creation of trade.

• It decreased the size of food surpluses.

The Nile Delta flows into the

• Black Sea

• Mediterranean Sea

• Persian Gulf

• Red Sea

This chart lists several elements of Hellenistic culture that developed in parts of Africa and Asia: mathematical concepts like the value of pi; astronomical theories like heliocentrism; philosophical ideas like the importance of virtue; physical inventions like pullies and levers. Which historical figure is most responsible for introducing these elements?

• Alexander the Great

• Aristotle

• Philip II of Macedonia

• Plato

This is a list of geographic features: The Alps; Mediterranean Sea; Tiber River. These features are part of which civilization?

• Ancient China

• Ancient Greece

• Ancient India

• Ancient Rome

Which terms are used by historians to describe periods of time lasting 10 years or longer? Select two that apply.

• century

• day

• decade

• hour

• month

How did the annual flooding of the Nile River contribute to the development of Ancient Egyptian civilization?

• It forced Egyptians to relocate their homes each year.

• It improved farming, leading to food surpluses and increased trade.

• It helped Egyptians win battles against their enemies.

• It damaged the soil, making farming difficult.