Sumerian Civilization and Contributions

What is the main job of an archaeologist?

• To write books about history

• To teach about ancient civilizations

• To search for clues to the beginnings of civilizations

• To explore new lands

What does the name "Mesopotamia" mean?

• Land of the Pharaohs

• Between the rivers

• Fertile Crescent

• Gift of the Nile

Which ancient civilization was discovered by the first American expedition in 1889?

• Babylonia

• Assyria

• Sumer

• Egypt

What is one important thing the Sumerians were the first people to do?

• Build pyramids

• Invent the wheel

• Form a government

• Discover America

What was the main purpose of a ziggurat in a Sumerian city?

• A place for kings to live.

• A market for trading goods.

• A stepped tower for worshipping gods.

• A fort to protect the city from enemies.

What material did the Sumerians mostly use to build their homes?

• Wood from nearby forests.

• Stone from mountains.

• Sun-dried bricks mixed with straw.

• Metal sheets.

Which important invention did the Sumerians first use for making pottery?

• The plow.

• The wheel.

• The arch.

• The water wheel.

What was the name of the writing system invented by the Sumerians?

• Hieroglyphics.

• Alphabet.

• Cuneiform.

• Pictographs.

What was the main role of girls in ancient Sumerian society?

• They attended school to learn writing.

• They trained to become warriors.

• They stayed home to learn cooking and manage the household.

• They worked in the fields alongside men.

Why was iron considered "metal from heaven" by the Assyrians?

• It was used to make tools for farming.

• It was found in large quantities in their mines.

• It was brought to them by traders from distant lands.

• It came from meteorites that fell from the sky.