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WorksheetsPrehistory and Early Civilizations Worksheet
Total questions: 66
Worksheet time: 33mins
What does the term "prehistory" refer to?
The time before farming
The time before humans existed
The time before writing systems were developed
The time after civilizations began
What is one characteristic that makes up a culture?
Metal tools
Language
Mountains
Currency
Which of the following was a major invention of the Neolithic Era?
Cave art
Fire
Farming and settled villages
Hunting tools made from bone
What is the main focus of an anthropologist?
Mapping the Earth’s surface
Digging for gold
Building tools
Studying human culture and behaviors
Which of the following would an archaeologist most likely study?
Laws passed by modern governments
Ancient pottery found at a dig site
Present-day clothing trends
Computer-generated maps
Which of these is a primary source?
A documentary
A newspaper article about ancient Rome
A diary written by someone living in ancient Egypt
A history textbook
What is a secondary source?
A report written after the event by someone who wasn’t there
A weapon used in battle
A clay tablet from Mesopotamia
A monument built in ancient Greece
Why did early civilizations develop near rivers?
Rivers offered protection from invasions
Rivers provided fertile soil and water for irrigation
Rivers were filled with precious stones
Rivers created natural borders for kings
Which geographic feature helped protect ancient Egypt from invasion?
The Nile River
The Sahara Desert
The Ganges River
The Aegean Sea
How did Greece’s mountainous geography impact its development?
It led to the creation of isolated city-states
It encouraged large-scale farming
It made Greece into one large empire
It created deserts and sandstorms
Which of the following is part of the "G.R.A.P.E.S" traits of civilization?
Grammar
Recreation
Economy
Entertainment
What is an achievement of ancient Egypt?
Creation of aqueducts
Use of hieroglyphics for record keeping
Invention of democracy
Use of coin money
What was a major difference between Hinduism and Buddhism?
Buddhism believes in multiple gods
Hinduism rejects karma
Buddhism rejects the caste system
Hinduism was founded by Buddha
According to Hindu belief, what determines one’s caste?
Age
Karma from a past life
Level of education
Military service
What is the caste made up of priests and religious leaders?
Sudras
Brahmins
Vaisyas
Kshatriyas
What form of government did Athens create?
Direct democracy
Monarchy
Dictatorship
Oligarchy
How did Greek city-states develop?
They were created by kings
Mountains separated groups, so they formed independently
They were united by a single emperor
They all shared one government
What is one civic duty of a citizen in ancient Athens?
Owning land
Worshiping all gods
Participating in government decisions
Working as a merchant
What type of government did the Romans create?
Democracy
Republic
Theocracy
Monarchy
What was the purpose of the Roman Senate?
To make and advise on laws
To lead armies into battle
To collect taxes
To build roads
Why were the Twelve Tables important?
They listed trade goods
They were the written laws of Rome
They were religious texts
They taught military training
Which of the following is an idea borrowed from Rome that still exists in the U.S. today?
Pharaohs rule over the people
Citizens elect representatives
Emperors are worshiped
Religion is the government
Which enduring issue is best represented by the Roman road system?
Inequality
Power
Innovation
Belief systems
What is one reason Roman roads were important?
They helped write laws
They stored water
They improved trade, communication, and military movement
They kept people out of cities
What does social mobility mean?
Moving up or down in social class
Moving from town to town
Running for government
Communicating with others
Which of the following was an innovation of Paleolithic people?
Farming
Stone tools and hunting weapons
Written records
Cities and roads
What marked the transition from the Paleolithic Era to the Neolithic Era?
Use of bronze tools
Invention of writing
Development of farming
Discovery of fire
Why did Neolithic people begin living in permanent settlements?
They learned how to grow crops and domesticate animals
They traveled long distances for food
They followed animal herds
They needed better shelter from wild animals
What does a surplus of food allow a society to do?
Migrate seasonally
Specialize in different jobs and trade
Depend entirely on hunting
Eliminate farming altogether
What did the Agricultural Revolution lead to?
Less food and more nomads
Larger populations and permanent settlements
Disorganized communities
The rise of democracy
Why were river valleys ideal locations for the development of civilizations?
They offered fertile soil and easy access to water
They had high mountains for defense
They were surrounded by deserts
They received little rainfall
What natural resource allowed Egypt to build boats, paper, and baskets?
Gold
Olive oil
Papyrus
Clay
How does a desert influence culture?
Encourages frequent travel and trade
Acts as a natural barrier and provides protection
Offers rich soil for farming
Makes fishing a major economic activity
Which best describes a peninsula's effect on culture?
Encourages sea trade and cultural diffusion
Limits access to water
Prevents cultural development
Makes farming impossible
Which of the following is an example of a natural resource?
Roads
Weapons
Fertile soil
Concrete
What did the annual flooding of the Nile River provide?
Fertile soil and irrigation for crops
Danger to nearby cities
Ice for preserving food
Fuel for fires
What is the written language of ancient Egypt called?
Hieroglyphics
Sanskrit
Latin
Greek
What is one reason ancient Egyptians kept written records?
Entertainment
Organizing sports
Keeping track of taxes, trade, and laws
Teaching foreign languages
Which term describes an extra amount of food produced?
Exchange
Surplus
Tithe
Export
What role did irrigation systems like canals and shadufs play in Egypt?
Helped bring water to crops from the Nile
Provided transportation across the desert
Built walls around cities
Replaced the need for rain
What is the ultimate goal in Hinduism called?
Moksha
Nirvana
Karma
Dharma
What is the Eightfold Path a part of?
Hinduism
Judaism
Buddhism
Christianity
What is reincarnation?
A. A way to avoid death
B. The belief in rebirth after death
C. A holiday celebration
D. A form of punishment
Why did Buddhism appeal to many lower-caste Hindus?
It involved worshiping animals
It rejected the caste system
It limited karma
It discouraged meditation
What is a sacred text in Hinduism?
Torah
Tripitaka
Vedas
Quran
Who could vote in ancient Athens?
Women and men
Only slaves
Free-born male citizens
All citizens over 18
What idea from ancient Greece influenced the U.S. government?
Theocracy
Democracy and civic participation
Divine kingship
Rule by empire
In the Roman Republic, how was power balanced?
By using checks and balances between branches
Through direct voting by all people
By giving power to a single ruler
By rotating emperors weekly
What caused the Punic Wars?
Religious conflict
Competition over Mediterranean trade
Disagreements over farming methods
Slavery laws
What happened after Rome defeated Carthage?
Rome lost territory
Rome became the dominant power in the Mediterranean
Carthage ruled over Rome
Rome stopped trading overseas
Which characteristic best describes ancient Sparta compared to Athens?
Valued arts and philosophy
Emphasized military discipline and strength
Practiced direct democracy
Focused on trade and shipping
Which trait accurately represents Athens?
Only warriors were trained
Citizens participated directly in government
All citizens became athletes
Women led the military
What was civic duty in ancient Athens?
Worshipping the king
Voting on laws and attending assemblies
Serving in the military only
Trading with other city-states
In a comparison of Athens and Sparta, which was a similarity?
Both practiced monarchy
Both had rigid social hierarchies
Both abandoned agriculture
Both were renowned for naval power
Which democratic concept from Athens influenced the U.S. government?
Rule by kings
Citizen votes in government decisions
Spartans' military states
Philosophers ruling cities
One difference between Athenian democracy and the U.S. democracy is:
Both governments are elected
Athens had direct democracy; U.S. uses representative democracy
U.S. government was run by generals
Athens had a supreme court
In the Roman Republic, who were the Consuls?
Members of the assembly
Two elected leaders who commanded armies and oversaw government
Judges in the courts
Representatives for the lower class
What power did the Tribunes hold?
Led the Roman army
Could veto laws harmful to plebeians
Ran the Senate's meetings
Appointed consuls
What did the Senate do in the Roman Republic?
Elected emperors
Made laws and advised consuls
Chose judges for courts
Collected taxes
Which feature of Roman government influenced the U.S. Constitution?
Rule by monarchy
Separation of powers and checks and balances
Use of a monarchy
A state religion
How many years are there between 500 BCE and 500 CE?
500 years
1,000 years
1,500 years
200 years
Which historical date is the EARLIEST based on the following choices?
200 BCE
100 CE
300 BCE
1 BCE
How many years passed between 50 BCE and 150 CE?
250 years
150 years
100 years
200 years
If a civilization existed from 1200 BCE to 800 BCE, how long did it last?
400 years
300 years
200 years
100 years
You’re living in 2025 CE. How many years ago was 300 BCE?
1,725 years ago
2,025 years ago
2,325 years ago
2,700 years ago
Which came first: the founding of Rome in 753 BCE or the start of the Roman Republic in 509 BCE?
They happened the same year
509 BCE, by 122 years
509 BCE, by 244 years
753 BCE, by 244 years
