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Early River Valley Civilizations

Total questions: 66

Worksheet time: 53mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
Name the River Valley Civilization shaded in orange on the map
a)
Egypt
b)
Mesopotamia/
Sumer
c)
India
d)
China
2.
Name the civilization: 
- Tigris and Euphrates
- Cuneiform
- City-States
a)
Egypt
b)
Mesopotamia/
Sumer
c)
India
d)
China
3.
Most early religious traditions can be categorized as -
a)
Monotheistic
b)
Polytheistic
c)
Atheistic
d)
Agnostic
4.

Which action is most closely associated with the early Mesopotamian civilizations?

a)

building floating gardens to grow corn

b)

establishing representative democracies

c)

developing a writing system using cuneiform

d)

constructing Hindu temples

5.
What made Hammurabi famous?
a)
He was a powerful king who built an empire.
b)
He had some harsh laws.
c)
He conquered and enslaved the Jewish people.
d)
He created the first written laws.
6.

The Neolithic Revolution occurred when people discovered how to -

a)

grow food and domesticate animals

b)

trade with others in the same river valley

c)

fight wars using metal weapons

d)

make stone temples for religious ceremonies

7.

True or False: Early humans settled far away from rivers.

a)

True

b)

False

8.

Which practice is closely associated with most ancient river valley civilizations?

a)

recording events in cave paintings

b)

using irrigation systems

c)

developing democratic traditions

d)

spreading monotheistic religious customs

9.
The Sumerians believed in many gods. This is called...
a)
monotheism
b)
polygods
c)
polytheism
d)
crazy!
10.
Cuneiform is...
a)
a system of government
b)
the world's first system of writing
c)
a type of poem or story
d)
a seal
11.
The people in the region were able to water their crops by ...
a)
rain
b)
praying
c)
singing
d)
irrigation
12.
The early people of Mesopotamia invented...
a)
the wheel
b)
writing
c)
the plow
d)
all of the above
13.
The first civilization in Mesopotamia were the
a)
Babylonians
b)
Egyptians
c)
Iranians
d)
Sumerians
14.

Which TWO statements best summarize the importance of Hammurabi's Code?

a)

The "eye for an eye," mentality of Hammurabi's Code shows a brutality in the justice system and the unfair laws of ancient times.

b)

Hammurabi's Code is the first known written law code and originated the idea of a lawful society with a system for protection from crimes.

c)

Hammurabi's Code shows an attempt to create a fair law code which gives out punishment based on an actual organized system instead of the desire of a ruler.

d)

The rights in the U.S. Constitution were influenced by the thought patterns in Hammurabi's Code.

15.

If an archaeologist were to find an artifact, with drawings on it, in the remains of an ancient village, she could safely assume that what type of person lived in the village?

a)

Priest

b)

Scribe

c)

Nomad

d)

Artisan

16.

Which answer best explains the preference for the river valley settlement pattern of ancient times?

a)

Fishing was difficult in ancient times without the aid of the pelicans that lived near Mesopotamia.

b)

Religious significance was placed on rivers, and the isolated locations of river valleys provided protection.

c)

The flooding of the river valleys provided fertile soil and irrigation was readily available in otherwise arid climate regions.

d)

The fresh water can be used for washing and carpentry could be completed using the flowing water.

17.

Which TWO things does this map show?

a)

early modern humans moved from Africa to Europe, Asia, and Australia

b)

migration of early modern humans began in Asia

c)

early modern humans moved from North America into South America

d)

early modern humans moved based on food availability

18.

All of the following are examples of people developing specialized skills, EXCEPT...

a)

moving more often in search of food

b)

improving the quality of what they made

c)

making things beautiful rather than just useful

d)

trading with other people for things they needed

19.
What was the first river valley to appear?
a)
China
b)
Egypt
c)
Indus
d)
Mesopotamia
20.
Which of the following means one god?
a)
Monotheism
b)
Polytheism
21.
What civilization is between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers?
a)
Egypt
b)
China
c)
Mesopotamia
d)
Indus
22.
How would historians categorize most early religious organizations?
a)
Monotheistic
b)
Polytheistic
c)
Atheistic
d)
Agnostic
23.

The Code of Hammurabi was a major contribution to the development of civilization because it -

a)

treated citizens and slaves equally

b)

ended all physical punishment

c)

established written laws

d)

rejected the principle of filial piety

24.

Which TWO rivers of the following were a part of Ancient Mesopotamia?

a)

Tigris

b)

Euphrates

c)

Nile

d)

Indus

25.

Cuneiform (depicted in the image) was one of the earliest writing systems invented by which city/river valley civilization?

a)

Mesopotamia

b)

Egypt/Nile

c)

Indus/Harrappa

d)

Yellow/China

26.

How did people from the Fertile Crescent (Mesopotamia) adapt to their environment?

a)

By using irrigation methods to help against the dry climate.

b)

Hunting and gathering when the rivers dried up.

c)

Trading heavily with the Yellow River Valley during times of drought.

d)

By using the papyrus plant to create an early form of paper.

27.
stepped-pyramids; purpose is to get the temple closer to the heavens, and provide access from the ground to it via steps; believed that these connected Earth to the heavens
a)
Egypt- pyramids
b)
Mesopotamia - pyramids
c)
Egypt- ziggurats
d)
Mesopotamia-ziggurats
28.
The Neolithic Revolution occurred when people discovered how to-
a)
grow food and domesticate animals
b)
trade with others in the same river valley
c)
fight wars using metal weapons
d)
make stone temples for religious ceremonies
29.
earliest written law code; purpose to ensure justice and protect the weak
a)
Pharaoh's Creed
b)
The Code of Hammurabi
c)
Harappan Law
d)
The Shang Dynasty Proclamation 
30.
All of the following are true of cuneiform except - 
a)
based on picture symbols 
b)
developed in Mesopotamia
c)
written on clay tablets
d)
earliest writing system
31.
Which of the following ages is characterized by man shifting from hunter-gatherers to systematic agriculture, the creation of small settlements and the domestication of animals?
a)
Paleolithic Age
b)
Neolithic Age
c)
Bronze Age
d)
Pre-Cambrian Age
32.
This picture shows an area known as the..
a)
Farming Curve
b)
Fertile Crescent
c)
Green C
d)
Fertile Curve
33.
One reason for the development of an early civilization in the Tigris-Euphrates river valleys was that 
a)
the location protected the people from land invasion
b)
periodic flooding left rich soil, which was ideal for farming
c)
these rivers provided a direct trade route between Europe and Asia
d)
these rivers flowed into the Mediterranean Sea
34.

Sumerian society was organized in____which consisted of a city and surrounding lands.

a)

rural

b)

polytheism

c)

canals

d)

city-states

35.

Where was cuneiform created?

a)

Sumer

b)

Babylon

c)

Anatolia

d)

Henrico

36.

What is special about cuneiform?

a)

it was spoken

b)

it was the first system of writing

c)

it was cool looking

d)

it was permanent

37.
What's a Ziggurat?
a)
a weapon
b)
A temple shaped like a pyramid.
c)
Artwork from the past
d)
The Gods
38.

What is polytheism?

a)

Religion with no gods

b)

Religion with many gods

c)

Religion with one god

d)

The best religion ever

39.
Who was Hammurabi?
a)
He was a god.
b)
He was a king of the first city of Ur.
c)
He was the king of the Babylonian empire.
d)
He was a Mesopotamian scribe.
40.
Which modern idiom refers to Hammurabi's Code?
a)
An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth
b)
It's raining cats and dogs.
c)
Break a leg!
d)
The wisdom of an old man brings wealth.
41.

How would you describe Hammurabi's laws?

a)

Fair and balanced.

b)

Very harsh by our modern standards.

c)

Too lenient (easy on the offender)

d)

complicated

42.

This was known as the Stone Age

a)

Neolithic Age

b)

Paleolithic Age

c)

Old Kingdom

d)

Neandic Age

43.

This was how people in the Paleolithic period got food.

a)

Grocery Store

b)

Farming

c)

Hunting and gathering

d)

they didn't eat

44.

This was an area of land in the middle east where civilization began

a)

Egypt

b)

Fertile Crescent

c)

Cradle of civilization

d)

China

45.

This was the term for the writing of Mesopotamia that use wedge-shaped characters.

a)

Demotic

b)

Hieroglyphics

c)

Cuneiform

d)

Greek

46.

First official law code that was written in Babylon on stone.

a)

King Tut's Laws

b)

The 10 Commandments

c)

The Torah

d)

Hammurabi's Code

47.

There were pyramid like structures used to bring people closer to the Gods in Mesopotamia.

a)

Ziggurat

b)

Pyramids

c)

Mounds

d)

Agora

48.

A city that runs its own form of government.

a)

Kindgom

b)

City-State

c)

Democracy

d)

Independent City

49.

A scribes job is to...

a)

make buildings

b)

prescribe medications

c)

write down important information

d)

help the king make decisions

50.

The belief in ONE god.

a)

Polytheism

b)

Monotheism

c)

Theocracy

d)

Atheism

51.

The belief in MANY gods.

a)

Polytheism

b)

Monotheism

c)

Theocracy

d)

Atheism

52.

The characteristic term used to describe people like priests, artists, or engineers is...

a)

skilled employees

b)

specialized workers

c)

unique jobs

d)

elite few

53.
What is another name for the Neolithic Age?
a)
New Stone Age
b)
Old Stone Age
c)
Prehistoric Period
d)
The Ice Age
54.
What was the Agricultural Revolution?
a)
people stopped hunting and gathering and began planting crops
b)
A new type of corn was developed
c)
people began inventing tools 
d)
they invented fire
55.
People who migrate from place to place are called...
a)
farmers
b)
paleolithic
c)
laborers
d)
nomads
56.
Most early religious traditions can be categorized as -
a)
Monotheistic
b)
Polytheistic
c)
Atheistic
d)
Agnostic
57.

Which of the following DOES NOT commonly characterize the development of civilization

a)

large advanced cities

b)

technology

c)

tribal councils

d)

record keeping

58.

Land between two rivers

a)

Cultural Hearth

b)

Mesopotamia

c)

Cuneiform

d)

City-state

59.

Sumerian kings derived their authority from

a)

the will of the people.

b)

the gods.

c)

success in athletic tournaments.

d)

parliamentary councils which selected their leaders.

60.
Which of the following were members of the upper class?
a)
kings and priests
b)
artisans
c)
merchants and traders
d)
scribes
61.
Building dams, channels, canals, and ditches to bring water to crops 
a)
irrigation
b)
nomads
c)
ziggurat
d)
scribes
62.
The word "Mesopotamia" means
a)
middle of the fertile crescent
b)
land in the middle of the desert 
c)
land between the rivers
d)
land north of the sea
63.
What modern day country is Mesopotamia mostly in?
a)
India
b)
Egypt
c)
China
d)
Iraq
64.
People who move from place to place in search of food and water
a)
manods
b)
irritants
c)
nomads
d)
farmers
65.
According to the Code of Hammurabi, what does "eye for an eye" mean?
a)
turn the other cheek
b)
hurt others before they have a chance to hurt you
c)
whatever crime someone commits against you, do back to them
d)
treat others as you would want to be treated
66.
Chaldean king who built the Hanging Gardens to please his wife
a)
Nineveh
b)
Babylon
c)
Nebuchadnezzar
d)
Sargon

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