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Ancient World History Midterm (Units 1-5)

Total questions: 50

Worksheet time: 25mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The first form of writing is known as _________________, meaning “wedge-shaped”.

a)

Phonics

b)

Hieroglyphs

c)

Cuneiform

d)

Sanskrit

2.

During what time period was this painting created?

a)

Renaissance

b)

Modern Age

c)

Neolithic or Stone Age

d)

Ice Age

3.

The first human civilization began in _________________.

a)

Egypt

b)

China

c)

Mesopotamia

d)

India

4.

The people of Sumer lived near the Fertile Crescent. Why did people choose to live along this area?

a)

Because of the many lakes

b)

The desert heat

c)

Mild temperatures

d)

Rivers provided fresh water for agriculture

5.

The map above is of Beringia, which connected North America and Asia. How did these two continents ultimately separate?

a)

Glacier melt

b)

Pangea

c)

Continental drift

d)

A canal was built

6.

What is the belief in one god called?

a)

monocle

b)

monarchy

c)

monotheism

d)

semitic

7.

What do we call the first written laws?

a)

Hammurabi's Code of Law

b)

Babylonian Code of Law

c)

Ur's Code of Law

d)

Hittite's Code of Law

8.

What did the Babylonians build all throughout their empire that helped trade in the region?

a)

Ziggurats

b)

Roads

c)

Farms

d)

Canals

9.

What does this image show?

a)

Ziggurat

b)

Ruler's palace

c)

City State

d)

Pharaoh's tomb

10.

What did nomads learn to do that allowed them to settle and form settlements?

a)

trade

b)

fish

c)

farm

d)

hunt

11.

This writing system was used for important documents and decoration of tombs and sarcophagi in ancient Egypt:

a)

Hieroglyphics

b)

Phonics

c)

Cuneiform

d)

Sanskrit

12.

The invention of paper most improved

a)

travel

b)

learning

c)

warfare

d)

agriculture

13.

Life would have been impossible in the desert environment of Egypt without rivers running through it, which is why Egypt is often called "The Gift of the ________."

a)

Tigris and Euphrates

b)

Indus

c)

Yangtze

d)

Nile

14.

In Egypt, the pyramids were built as tombs for ____________, the title used by the political and religious leader of Egypt.

a)

pharaohs

b)

kings

c)

emperors

d)

caesars

15.

Which does NOT have to do with Egypt's afterlife?

a)

souls had to pass a test to win eternal life

b)

heart was weighed against that of an ancestor

c)

worthy souls went to Happy Field of Food

d)

Anubis and Osiris played a role

16.

Which is NOT matched correctly?

a)

New Kingdom- high point of power and wealth

b)

Middle Kingdom- many cultural achievements

c)

Old Kingdom- when the pyramids were built

17.

Why did the Egyptians mummify?

a)

so the body would be preserved for 1000s of years

b)

so they could learn about the body

c)

so the soul could find it and use it in the afterlife

d)

so they could send it down the Nile

18.

Why was the Rosetta Stone so important?

a)

it was the key to unlock Hieroglyphics

b)

it was the symbol for all scribes to know how to write

c)

it decreed that all gods were to be worshipped

d)

it was Egypt's finest piece of art

19.
Who would write and record information?
a)
slaves
b)
scribes
c)
farmers
d)
craftspeople
20.
How did the yearly flooding of the Nile River affect the people of Egypt and Kush?
a)
It isolated the settlements.
b)
It left silt that improved the soil.
c)
It spread diseases that destroyed whole empires.
d)
It attracted hunters and gatherers looking for wildlife.
21.

Which major religion from ancient India helped to support the caste system?

a)

Polytheism

b)

Buddhism

c)

Confucianism

d)

Hinduism

22.

India gets its name from the _________ River, which ironically is no longer located within the current borders of the country.

a)

Yangtze

b)

Nile

c)

Tigris and Euphrates

d)

Indus

23.

What is the caste system?

a)

Laws

b)

going without food

c)

the most well known language of ancient India

d)

division in Indian society into groups based on a person's birth, wealth, or occupation

24.

War elephants, as pictured here, were from which Indian empire?

a)

The Maurya Empire

b)

The Gupta Empire

c)

The Harappans

d)

The Aryans

25.

Read the question and select all that apply.

What are some of the achievements the Harappans are known for?

a)

Metallurgy

b)

sewage

c)

Hindu-Arabic numerals

d)

fortress

e)

well planned cities

26.

The founder of Buddhism is . . .

a)

Asoka

b)

Jains

c)

Siddhartha Guatama

d)

Chadragupta

27.

The list here describes:

a)

The Harappans

b)

Hinduism

c)

Buddhism

d)

Jainism

28.

"Suffering and unhappiness are a part of human life. No one can escape it." This principle is a part of which religion?

a)

Hinduism

b)

Vedic

c)

Jainism

d)

Buddhism

29.

The twin capital cities of the ancient Indus River Valley Civilization were:

a)

Mohenjo-Daro and Mesopotamia

b)

Mohenjo-Daro and Raja

c)

Raja and Harappa

d)

Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa

30.

The Aryans were:

a)

Great city planners

b)

Nomads

c)

The first Buddhist believers

d)

The biggest Indian empire in history

31.

What was built over many centuries as a defensive line designated to help keep out the invading tribes of people to the north of China known as the Mongols?

a)

Emperor's Fortress

b)

Great Canal

c)

Great Wall of China

d)

Shi Huangdi Line

32.

China is responsible for many great inventions. Which of the following are NOT Chinese inventions?

a)

paper, fireworks, and porcelain

b)

astrolabe, caravel, and telescope

c)

steel plow, silk, and the compass

d)

sundial, seismograph,and gunpowder

33.

On what continent did Hinduism, Confucius, and Buddhism come from?

a)

North America

b)

Europe

c)

Asia

d)

Africa

34.

The box above describes who?

a)

Genghis Khan

b)

Kublai Khan

c)

Shi Huangdi

d)

Marco Polo

35.

Foot binding began during what dynasty?

a)

Sui

b)

Tang

c)

Song

d)

Yuan

36.

The box above describes who?

a)

Zheng He

b)

Marco Polo

c)

Genghis Khan

d)

Zhu Yanzhang

37.

Who could serve in an army under the Yuan Dynasty?

a)

Mongols

b)

merchants

c)

artisans

d)

elected officials

38.

According to Confucianism, what two basic principles should people use to conduct their lives? (Select all that apply.)

a)

Ren

b)

Civility

c)

Li

d)

Bureaucracy

39.

What is the "mandate of heaven"?

a)

a policy of avoiding contact with other countries

b)

a body of unelected officials

c)

the idea that heaven chose China's ruler and gave him/her power to rule

d)

service as a government official

40.

Define isolationism.

a)

a policy of avoiding contact with other countries

b)

a body of unelected government officials

c)

an educated member of the government

d)

service as a government official

41.

In ancient Greece the people believed in many gods and goddesses, this type of religion is also known as ___________________.

a)

Monotheism

b)

Confucianism

c)

Paganism

d)

Polytheism

42.

The US government is most similar to this Greek city-state, where democracy was first practiced?

a)

Sparta

b)

Athens

c)

Corinth

d)

Thebes

43.

What is the BEST definition of a citizen?

a)

a person who has the right to participate in the government of a certain country

b)

a person who lives in a certain country

c)

a person who is born in a certain country

d)

a person who migrates to another country and lives there for a certain number of years

44.

In the U.S. today we have what is known as a Representative Democracy or Republic. In ancient Greece they practiced a ________________ Democracy. In this system all citizens participate directly in all government processes including writing, passing, and enforcing laws as well as electing government officials.

a)

Presidential

b)

Direct

c)

Parliamentary

d)

Doctorial

45.

What is the definition of democracy?

a)

Greek word for city-state

b)

a type of government in which people rule themselves

c)

a government in which only a few people have power

d)

a leader who held power through the use of force

46.

Who were the main characters in many of Aesop's fables?

a)

gods

b)

animals

c)

warriors

d)

citizens

47.

While many Greek myths told stories of the gods, some of the stories were about the adventures of great heroes. Which of the following was not a god, but was the focus of many Greek myths?

a)

Hephaestus

b)

Zeus

c)

Hercules

d)

Hermes

48.

In Homer's epic poems, which war were the protagonists fighting/coming home from?

a)

The Persian War

b)

The Trojan War

c)

The Aegean War

d)

The Mediterranean War

49.

What is the definition of an oligarchy?

a)

Greek word for city-state

b)

a leader who held power through the use of force

c)

a government in which only a few people have power

d)

a body of stories about gods and heroes that try to explain how the world works

50.

What is mythology?

a)

a body of stories about gods and heroes that try to explain how the world works

b)

short stories that teach the reader lessons about life or give advice on how to live

c)

one that is marked by great achievements

d)

a leader who held power through the use of force