Wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

World History Pre-Test

Total questions: 65

Worksheet time: 3590secs

Name
Class
Date
1.
What material were the first tools made from?
a)
Stones and bones
b)
Stones and metal
c)
Bones and glass
d)
Metal and wood
2.
What is the time BEFORE writing?
a)
Post-history
b)
Ancestor
c)
Pre-history
d)
Hominid 
3.

All are examples of primary sources except...

a)

A letter written by a soldier describing a battle

b)

An artifact of a gun

c)

A photograph of Abraham Lincoln

d)

A history textbook

4.

A timeline arranges events chronologically, which means...

a)

in sequential order

b)

in a time-arranged order

c)

in cause and effect order

5.

Who is a historian?

a)

an expert who studies the past by examining objects that people have left behind.

b)

an expert who studies and records the past.

c)

the people who study the world in which humans live

d)

an expert who studies and creates maps of Earth's natural and human-made features.

6.

What is an artifact?

a)

a painting on a cave wall

b)

an object made by human beings; often refers to a primitive tool or other relic from an earlier period.

c)

very old

d)

a ceremonial act

7.

The Paleolithic Era is characterized by

a)

the earliest use of stone tools by humans.

b)

mass migration from North America to Africa.

c)

the first attempts at raising crops.

d)

development of clans and tribes.

8.

What early hominid group are we part of?

a)

Australopithecus

b)

Homo habilis

c)

Homo erectus

d)

Homo sapiens

e)

Ardipithecus ramidus

9.
Something that helps a person perform or accomplish a task is considered ...
a)
Device
b)
Technology
c)
Hand tools
d)
Stones
10.
Paleolithic homes were _______ so they could move a lot; Neolithic homes could be ______ because they didn't move.
a)
temporary; permanent
b)
permanent; temporary
c)
strong; weak
d)
tall; short
11.

What is a secondary source?

a)

An account or evidence from the time period being studied

b)

An account or evidence from somebody who learned a lot about the event (secondhand)

c)

The Declaration of Independence

d)

A Biography

12.

What were the effects of controlling water by using irrigation?

a)

They dug basins to hold water, dug canals to direct water from rivers to basins and also to connect basins to fields.

b)

Farmers were able to grow more food.

c)

Division of labor was created.

d)

Farmers were able to grow more food, farmers were more productive, and division of labor was created.

13.

Mesopotamia is an area of land between Asia Minor and the _______________________________.

a)

Persian Gulf

b)

Caspian Sea

14.
What does Mesopotamia mean in Greek?
a)
between two rivers
b)
next to two rivers
c)
adjacent to two rivers
d)
near two rivers
15.
What process did the Egyptians use to protect the pharaoh's dead body? 
a)
Mummification 
b)
Embalming 
c)
Natron 
d)
Irrigation 
16.
What were rulers of Ancient Egypt called?
a)
kings
b)
dictators
c)
presidents
d)
pharaohs
17.

This map shows the features of Ancient Egypt.


Which inference is supported by the information in the map?

a)

Major cities relied on their proximity to the river in order to

survive.

b)

The geography of Egypt made establishing settlements difficult.

c)

Upper Egypt had greater political strength than Lower Egypt.

d)

The vast distance between cities made governing difficult.

18.
Who did the Egyptians worship? 
a)
Gods 
b)
Goddesses 
c)
Deities 
d)
Gods, goddesses, and deities. 
19.

Why did it take many years to become a scribe?

a)

Papyrus was very difficult to write on.

b)

There were hundreds of hieroglyphs to learn.

c)

Students had to save money to buy a position.

d)

Teachers so mean to their students that they ran away from school.

20.
What was the most common form of religious practice in Ancient Egypt?
a)
hieroglyphics
b)
polytheism
c)
mythology
d)
monotheism
21.
People of India were divided into social classes called the ___________________ system
a)
Economic
b)
Caste
c)
Political
d)
School
22.
Which physical feature does the following describe? Mountains, Seas, or Both?
Separated city-states from on another. 
a)
Mountains
b)
Seas
c)
Both
23.

Why were the Greek city-states so isolated?

a)

There were two peninsulas.

b)

The mountains and seas made travel difficult.

c)

Both communication and travel were difficult due to the separation from the mountains and seas.

24.

Which physical feature was home to the Greek gods?

a)

Aegean Sea

b)

Peloponnesus

c)

Island of Crete

d)

Mt. Olympus

25.

Which three seas surround Greece

a)

Mediterranean Sea

b)

Baltic Sea

c)

Ionian Sea

d)

Aegean Sea

26.

A government where only a few people hold power is a ______.

a)

oligarchy

b)

democracy

c)

republic

d)

monarchy

27.

Someone who takes power by force and rules with total authority is a ____________.

a)

governor

b)

tyrant

c)

senator

d)

representative

28.

A government where all citizens share in running the government is a ________.

a)

oligarchy

b)

democracy

c)

monarchy

d)

republic

29.

In early Athens, who ruled the city-state?

a)

aristocrats

b)

kings

c)

tyrants

d)

the people

30.

What was the function of myths in ancient Greece?

a)

To teach a life lesson

b)

To accompany a stringed instrument

c)

To give scribes something to copy

d)

To explain natural or historical events

31.

Why were the Greeks considered polytheistic?

a)

They worshiped only one God

b)

They worshiped many gods & goddesses

c)

They did not worship any gods

32.

Who was the king of the Olympian gods?

a)

Zeus

b)

Dionysus

c)

Hades

d)

Demeter

33.

Why did the Romans create a system of checks and balances?

a)

to prevent any one person from gaining too much power

b)

so people would trust the Senate

c)

so people accused of a crime would have a fair trial

d)

to be able to summon people to testify in court

34.

What mountain ranges are located in Italy?

a)

the Rockies and the Andes

b)

the Alps and the Apennines

c)

the Sierra Madre and the Himalayas

d)

the Cascades and the Balkins

35.

Why were the Romans able to grow a wide variety of crops?

a)

they had a good climate for growing many different crops

b)

they had lots of sunshine

c)

they had lots of rain

d)

they were excellent farmers with advanced farming techniques

36.

What was Rome's first written code of law called?

a)

the Code of Hammurabi

b)

the Law of the Twelve Tables

c)

Checks and Balances

d)

the Roman Code of Laws

37.

Why was the Roman Senate so powerful?

a)

because the senators were related tot he emperor

b)

because the senate made all the laws

c)

because the senate was the only governing body

d)

because senators held office for life and magistrates didn't want to anger them

38.

Who was Spartacus?

a)

he was the assistant to Marius

b)

he was a Roman emperor

c)

he was a former gladiator who led slaves in a revolt

d)

he was a Roman philosopher and teacher

39.

According to Roman legend, the city of Rome was founded by...

a)

Latin people who moved to Italy from ancient Egypt

b)

two men named Romulus and Remus

c)

the gods of Greece who were looking for a new home

d)

a Greek warrior named Achilles

40.
Because Italy is surrounded by (blank) , the Romans could travel easily by sea to other parts of the world
a)
Deserts
b)
Mountains
c)
Water
d)
Jungles 
41.
A series of wars between Rome and Carthage in the 200s and 100s BC
a)
World Wars
b)
Punic Wars
c)
Greco-Persian Wars
d)
Germanic Wars
42.
The center of life in ancient Rome was the (blank).
a)
Palatine Hill
b)
Forum
c)
temple
d)
Capitoline Hill
43.
What language did the people of Rome use?
a)
Greek
b)
Arabic
c)
Latin
d)
Roman
44.

Why did the senators stab Juius Caesar?

a)

They thought he was going to have them killed.

b)

They knew he was planning to begin another war.

c)

They were afraid he was becoming too powerful.

d)

They thought he was a very untrustworthy leader.

45.

What happened in Rome after Julius Caesar was assassinated?

a)

There was peace in Rome.

b)

Pompey became the new ruler.

c)

Rome fell to the barbarians.

d)

There were civil wars.

46.
What happened as Rome expanded into an empire?
a)
Power moved from a single ruler to an elected republic.
b)
Rome controlled all of Europe and Asia.
c)
Rome won new territory only through peaceful means.
d)
Rome fought wars to defend its growing territory.
47.

After the western Roman Empire fell to Germanic invaders in the 5th century A.D., the eastern part of the empire eventually became known as what?

a)

Persian

b)

Byzantine

c)

Carthaginian

d)

Islamic

48.
The capital of the Byzantine Empire was located in which city?
a)
Rome
b)
Constantinople
c)
Kiev
d)
Carthage
49.
The Byzantine Empire preserved the cultural heritage of what two places?
a)
Greece & Persia
b)
Rome & Persia
c)
Greece & Rome
d)
Russia & Rome
50.
The importance of Justinian's Code is that:
a)
It provided equality for women
b)
It outlawed slavery
c)
It was based on Christian beliefs
d)
It was the basis of western law codes 
51.
What is the name of this Byzantine domed structure that originally served as a church?
a)
Dome of the Rock
b)
Pantheon
c)
Hagia Sophia
d)
Parthenon
52.

What is the name of a landmass that is surrounded on 3 sides by water?

a)

Delta

b)

Peninsula

c)

Harbor

d)

Plateau

53.

Constantinople is now known as ?

a)

Alexandria

b)

Istanbul

c)

Rome

d)

Venice

54.

During the height of the Islamic Empires in the Middle East, what was the political, cultural, and social condition of Europe like?

a)

Europe was a prosperous and bustling region with great international trade and commerce.

b)

Europe was in a state of chaos and was in shambles following the collapse of the Roman Empire.

c)

Europe was exploring the Americas and gaining new territories overseas.

d)

None of the above.

55.

Trade from China to Europe

a)

made China poor

b)

traveled along the Silk Road

c)

passed along the Grand Canal

d)

came across the East China Sea

56.
Under the emperors of the Tang dynasty, China
a)
shrank in size but was politically stable.
b)
was divided into warring territories.
c)
closed its borders to foreign trade.
d)
united and expanded greatly in size.
57.

Around 1200 CE, this person unified the Mongol Empire

a)

Kublai Khan

b)

Genghis Khan

c)

Confucius

d)

Marco Polo

58.
Why did the Mongols terrorize people?
a)
To spread fear, thus making them more likely to surrender without a fight
b)
To make them fight for their lives
c)
To make other people talk about them, and write about them in books
d)
They only terrorized people after they conquered them.
59.
The Mongols used __________ in warfare.
a)
Guns
b)
Horses
c)
Horses and Archery 
d)
Cannons
60.
What effect did the Mongols have on the Silk Road?
a)
The Mongols raised travel taxes, decreasing trade.
b)
The Mongols raided travelers all the time, decreasing trade.
c)
The Mongols made travel tax-free, increasing trade.
d)
The Mongols made it safer, increasing trade.
61.

Period of time in European history from about 500 to 1500

a)

Middle Ages

b)

Carolingian Dynasty

c)

Holy Roman Empire

d)

Franks

62.

In the Middle Ages, a ___________________________ was a lord's estate.

a)

Manor

b)

fief

c)

vassal

d)

tithe

63.

A _______________ was a peasant, or worker, who was bound to the land.

a)

serf

b)

fief

c)

vassal

d)

tithe

64.

A person who received land from a lord was called a ________________.

a)

Manor

b)

fief

c)

vassal

d)

tithe

65.

A _______________ was land granted by a lord in exchange for military protection and other services.

a)

fief

b)

canon law

c)

manor

d)

clergy