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Mesopotamia Unit test

Total questions: 60

Worksheet time: 31mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

How was the Fertile Crescent so fertile?

a)

imported crops from foreign traders

b)

silt deposited by annual flooding

c)

heavy snowfalls in winter

d)

moderate temperatures in summer

2.

The civilization of Sumer developed

a)

between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

b)

in the present day country of Israel.

c)

in Egypt.

d)

along the Nile River.

3.

Gilgamesh's friend who died as a result of their exploits was

a)

Humbaba.

b)

Utnaptishtim.

c)

Ishtar.

d)

Enkidu.

4.

Who conquered and united all of Sumer?

a)

Marduk.

b)

Sargon

c)

Hammurabi.

d)

Gilgamesh

5.

Punishments under the Code of Hammurabi

a)

were more harsh for people of lower social classes.

b)

stressed reform rather than retribution for crimes.

c)

did not cover domestic/family concerns.

d)

did not apply to the upper class.

6.
What name have historians given to the land that lies between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers?
a)
the Fertile Crescent
b)
Arabia
c)
Mesopotamia
d)
Egypt
7.
What role did the gods play in Sumerian society?
a)
they created problems for people to overcome
b)
the protected people from trouble and danger
c)
they helped people get to heaven when they died
d)
they made people do things they didn't want to do
8.
For what initial purpose did the Sumerians develop the world's first writing system?
a)
to remember history
b)
to honor their gods
c)
to keep business records
d)
to praise their king
9.
What was the main building material of the Sumerians?
a)
bronze
b)
mud
c)
bronze
d)
wood
10.
On what did Sumerian farmers depend to grow their crops?
a)
heavy rains that fell across the region
b)
violent floods caused by heavy rains
c)
canals they built to bring river water to the fields
d)
snow in distant mountains they brought to their fields
11.
What was the main purpose of the ziggurat?
a)
a place for religious services
b)
a place to go when attacked
c)
to mark the center of the city
d)
the city's marketplace
12.
What common item of life today was invented by the Sumerians?
a)
agriculture
b)
indoor plumbing
c)
paper
d)
the wheel
13.
The world's first empire was created by ...
a)
Cyrus
b)
Hammurabi
c)
Nebuchadnezzar
d)
Sargon
14.
Who had the most power in Sumerian society?
a)
farmers
b)
priests
c)
artisans
d)
merchants
15.
What is Hammurabi's code?
a)
a system of translating cuneiform into English
b)
laws the people of Babylonian Empire had to follow
c)
the first four books of the Hebrews' Old Testament
d)
a set of signals Babylonian soldiers used during battles
16.
Which statement best illustrates the principles of Hammurabi's code?
a)
Lawbreakers should pay the largest fine they could afford
b)
Correct behavior is more important than religious worship
c)
Those who commit violent acts should be put to death
d)
The punishments should depend on the crimes committed.
17.
Which word describes the religion of the Sumerians?
a)
monotheistic
b)
polytheistic
c)
paganistic
d)
Christian
18.
Name the Language
a)
Hieroglyphs
b)
Cuneiform
c)
Phonetic Alphabet
d)
Chinese Characters
19.

Which idea is true about the development of written language?

a)

The ability to read and write was common, and most people could do it.

b)

All civilizations used hieroglyphics in their writing.

c)

The ability to write was a special skill that was usually learned by wealthy males.

d)

All early civilizations developed writing so they could record laws for their people to follow.

20.

Based on this Mesopotamian structure, what conclusion can be made about this ancient civilization?

a)

It was a primitive civilization made up of mostly nomadic tribes.

b)

It's government lacked authority and was unable to keep control of its people.

c)

It had a large population but had few resources.

d)

It was a well developed society with advanced knowledge of math and science.

21.

Besides wealth, what other factor determined a person's social class in Sumer?

a)

appearance

b)

location

c)

occupation

d)

religion

22.
Which of the following is  NOT true of Hammurabi's code?
a)
It covered many aspects of Babylonian life, not just crimes.
b)
t was used by many later civilizations as a model
c)
It treated all people the same under the law.
d)
It was carved in stone.
23.

What is the main reason why early civilizations began to construct walls around their cities?

a)

It was needed to keep people from leaving.

b)

City-states fought against each other to gain more farmland.

c)

City-states needed protection from the floods.

d)

City-states needed to protect their homes from sand storms.

24.
The flooding of the Mesopotamia river valley could be described as __________.
a)
predictable
b)
unpredictable
c)
gentle
d)
calm
25.

Mesopotamians worshipped their religion in temples known as _____________________.

a)

Ziggurats

b)

Pantheons

c)

Pyramids

d)

Churches

26.

What best describes the belief of a polytheistic religion?

a)

Worships one god

b)

Worships no gods

c)

Worships many gods

d)

Worships only Greek gods

27.

This tool was created by Sumerians to write words on clay tablets

a)

Stylus

b)

Irrigation

c)

Papyrus

d)

Canal

28.

Mesopotamians invented irrigation canals to

a)

Bring water from nearby rivers to their crops

b)

Help transport goods and crops along the rivers

c)

Create order in society

d)

Help them practice their polytheistic religion

29.
What is a city-state?
a)
a city that does not control itself
b)
a large city and surrounding territories
c)
a walled city built on a mountain
d)
a small country with trade between its cities
30.
What is the name of the earliest piece of  written literature that still survives today?
a)
The epic of Gilgamesh
b)
The Ballad of the Babylonian Wars
c)
The Elegy of Enkidu
d)
Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
31.
Which was a benefit of the two rivers in Mesopotamia?
a)
provided fertile soil
b)
Provided entertainment on the weekends
c)
allowed for trade with Akkadians
d)
separated the Sumerians
32.
Mesopotamia is mostly part of ______today.
a)
Iran
b)
Iraq
c)
Israel
d)
Burkina Faso
33.

This group of people in Mesopotamia included the following: prisoners of war, social outcasts, debtors, criminals, and those sold by their families.

a)

slaves

b)

soldiers

c)

viziers

d)

solicitors

34.

Land with different people under a single rule is known as a(n)...

a)

colony

b)

empire

c)

city-state

d)

county

35.

How did Sumerian culture show their religious beliefs?

a)

They built Temples atop ziggurats.

b)

Priests chose wise men to rule during times of war.

c)

They created carts to travel and spread the word about their religion.

d)

Sumerians created strict rules with harsh consequences for the people of the city.

36.

Mesopotamia's economic system was based on

a)

inventions

b)

trade

c)

building structures

d)

politics

37.

What was responsible for stopping the flooding that would kill crops and providing water during times of drought?

a)

food surplus

b)

political system

c)

irrigation system

d)

praying to the gods

38.

Which leader created the world's first empire?

a)

Sargon

b)

Hammurabi

c)

Nebuchadnezzar

d)

Ashoka

39.

Which leader made a code of law for his empire?

a)

Sargon

b)

Hammurabi

c)

Nebuchadnezzar

d)

Ashoka

40.

Kings, government officials, warriors, priests made up this class.....

a)

Upper Class

b)

Middle Class

c)

Lower Class

41.

Using the picture and description, which of the following statements about cuneiform would be true?

a)

The ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia wrote only on papyrus

b)

Many symbols in cuneiform look like wedges or triangles

c)

The civilizations in Mesopotamia wrote using brightly-colored inks.

d)

Cuneiform is a system of writing where pictures stand for words and ideas.

42.
What was the purpose of the scribe?
a)
Rule the people and make the laws
b)
Develop the economy
c)
Teach the people about religion
d)
Write and record information
43.
Hammurabi's Code is important in world history because it was a __________.
a)
Form of writing that could be used to record important events
b)
Written list of laws that contained ideas still found today
c)
Record-keeping system that enabled the Phoenecians to become great traders
d)
Set of symbols that allowed the Sumerians to communicate with other people
44.
What new invention aided in the use of carts and wagons?
a)
Wheel
b)
Ax
c)
Plow
d)
Tools
45.
Which invention greatly increased farm production?
a)
Plow
b)
Lawnmower
c)
Ax
d)
Tractor
46.
What provided silt?
a)
Irrigation
b)
Floods
c)
Monsoons
d)
Lakes
47.
What allowed people to live in one place? 
a)
A social hierarchy
b)
Hammurabi's Code
c)
Mountains and deserts nearby
d)
Agriculture and Domestication
48.

Why do they call it the Fertile Crescent?

a)

because the women had a lot of babies

b)

because the animals had a lot of babies

c)

because the moon was in a crescent form all of the time

d)

The land was fertile and shaped like a crescent moon.

49.

Three things that the Sumerians invented were...

a)

The wheel, writing, and the plow.

b)

The wheel, top, and toys.

c)

The wheel, the telephone, and houses

d)

The wheel, the computer, and guns.

50.

What is an epic?

a)

tax records

b)

farming records

c)

a short story that tells a story of the gods

d)

a long poem that tells a story of heroes

51.

Who developed the worlds first civilization?

a)

Sumerians

b)

Akkadians

c)

Babylonians

d)

Pheonicians

52.

1.In Mesopotamia, floods deposited silt, which made soil_________

a)

rocky

b)

fertile

c)

dry

d)

frozen

53.

Why were scribes important to Sumerian society?

a)

They made the tools for farming

b)

They served the kings and kept their houses clean

c)

They said prayers to the gods

d)

They kept record of everyday life; livestock,taxes, etc.

54.

Read the following primary sources and answer the question.


202. If any one strike the body of a man higher in rank than he, he shall receive sixty blows with an

ox-whip in public.

203. If a free-born man strike the body of another free-born man or equal rank, he shall pay one gold

mina.

204. If a freed man strike the body of another freed man, he shall pay ten shekels in money.

205. If the slave of a freed man strike the body of a freed man, his ear shall be cut off.


Based on these laws, what can you conclude about the treatment of the upper class vs. the lower class?

a)

Upper and lower class had equal treatment

b)

Upper class had the worse treatment

c)

Lower class had better treatment

d)

Lower class had harsher punishments, while the upper class were treated better.

55.

What was the guiding principle for Hammurabi’s Codes?

a)

Only the powerful had justice

b)

Only the poor had justice

c)

“An eye for an eye” for every wrong doing, someone could seek justice.

d)

Only the king had the ability create laws

56.

Ziggurats were located at the center of each city-state, What can you learn about the role religion played in Mesopotamian life?

a)

They wanted to copy the Egyptians

b)

It was not an important part of their life

c)

It was so visitors thought they were rich

d)

It played a key role in everyday life

57.

Which of the following groups belonged to the Sumerian middle class?

a)

kings

b)

warriors

c)

merchants/free people

d)

enslaved people

58.
How did Sumerian city walls relate to the environment?
a)
The walls were made of wood cut from trees in the foothills.
b)
The walls were made of bricks using local mud.
c)
The walls were made of stones from a quarry in the Zagros Mountains.
d)
The walls were made of steel obtained through trade with Egypt.
59.
More food than as needed by a person.
a)
Trade
b)
Domestication
c)
Surpus
d)
Irrigation
60.
The first civilizations arose in__________ because the conditions for farming were good.
a)
mountains
b)
deserts
c)
river valleys
d)
none of the above