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Mesopotamia Unit Test
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Do not write on test - Do not write on test - Do not write on test
Multiple Choice Directions: Place the answer to each question on your answer
sheet. (2 pts. each)
1. Based on the meaning of its name, what do you know about Ancient
Mesopotamia?
a.
b.
c.
d.
2.
What problem occurred in the Zagros Mountains of northern Mesopotamia
that led people to move south into the river valley?
a.
b.
c.
d.
3.
Keep water away from neighboring towns
Control the amount of water in the valley
Make ponds where they could wash clothes
Create waterfalls so they had water power
Why were Babylon, Ur, Uruk, etc. called city-states?
a.
b.
c.
d.
5.
There wasn’t enough farmland to support the growing population
The people fought, and they needed to find new places to live
The climate changed, and it got too dry to keep living there
The soil got overused, and plants could no longer grow there
Sumerians used levees, canals, and dams to
a.
b.
c.
d.
4.
It was located between two rivers
It was located in mountain foothills
It was home for a large population
It was the home of the world’s first cities
Each walled settlement served the Sumerian empire
Each walled settlement had its own ruler and farmland
Each walled settlement had its own irrigation system
Each walled settlement recorded the empire’s history
Why did Sumerians stop living in small, isolated villages on the banks of
the rivers, as the earliest farmers had?
a.
b.
c.
d.
They needed more land so they could gather enough food
They needed more trees so they could build enough homes
They had to work together to maintain the new irrigation system
They were conquered by invaders
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6.
Who most likely spoke the following words below?
“My empire is the first the world has ever seen! I am famous for my
smart political strategies including tearing down the walls of the cities
I conquer and replacing their leaders with people I can trust.”
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
7.
Sargon
Hammurabi
Assurbanipal
Gilgamesh
Ha ha, you are totally singing right now, aren’t you?
What made it harder to live in Sumer than in the Zagros foothills?
a.
Sumer lacked many natural resources and physical features that
might protect them from invasion.
b. Sumer had many hills that made farming difficult
c. Sumer had many stones that needed to be cleared from farmland
d. Sumer’s land was covered in trees, making it difficult to farm at first
8.
What was one problem the city-states faced by remaining independent?
a.
b.
c.
d.
9.
In what order did the empires below hold power?
a.
b.
c.
d.
10.
They were unable to trade their crops with smaller groups
They were unable to defend themselves against stronger/larger groups
They had to spend a lot of time conquering other groups
They had to get most of what they needed from larger groups
Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Neo-Babylonian
Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian
Assyrian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Neo-Babylonian
Babylonian, Assyrian, Akkadian, Neo-Babylonian
In addition to restoring the splendor of Babylon by reconstructing temples,
and fortifying the city; Nebuchadrezzer II also created this ancient wonder
of the world.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Hadrian’s Wall
The Great Pyramid of Giza
The Ziggurat of Ur
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
11.
Which of the following best describes cuneiform?
a.
b.
c.
d.
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A form of writing using only picture symbols
A form of writing using wedge-shaped symbols
A form of writing that stayed exactly the same over thousands of years
A form of writing using circular-shaped symbols
Fill in the blank directions: On your answer sheet, fill in the blanks with the
correct vocabulary word. (2 pts. each, spelling counts)
12.
In the center of each city-state of Ancient Mesopotamia a large _____________
was constructed to honor a god or goddess.
13.
With their _____________ of grain, Sumerians were able to trade for resources
they needed such as stones and wood.
14.
The most famous king of Babylon created the _______________________________
which was the first system of law.
15.
Moses received the Ten Commandments on his journey back to Canaan at
the top of ______________________________.
16.
Civilization began in a region called __________________________, known for its
great farmland. It covered all of Sumer, Mesopotamia, and Canaan.
17. The ancient Mesopotamians believed in a religion with many gods which is
called _____________________________.
18.
A long period of dry weather is called a ___________________.
19.
The Hebrews follow Judaism and believe in one god. This is called _________.
20.
A ____________________________ forced the Hebrews out of Canaan and into
Egypt where they were eventually enslaved.
21.
_______________ led the Hebrews out of Mesopotamia to Canaan.
Directions for True/False: On your Answer sheet, if the answer is true, write
“True” on the line. If the statement is false, write “False” on the line and THEN
REWRITE THE BOLDED PHRASE TO MAKE IT TRUE. Writing “did not” or
something similar before the incorrect statement will not count. (2 pts. each)
22.
The Assyrian Empire was known for its revolutionary military formation
in which soldiers with shields would stand at the front and soldiers with
spears would stand behind them.
23.
The Akkadian Empire was the largest of the four major Mesopotamian
empires. It was so large that it ultimately caused the downfall of the
empire.
24.
The Neo-Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Persian Empire.
25.
The creation of roads to assist trade and a postal service was an
accomplishment of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
Short Answer: Choose 1 out of the following 2 short answer questions. Be sure
to explain your answer in detail, showing what you have learned throughout our
study of Ancient Mesopotamia. Answers should be placed on a separate sheet of
lined paper in RACER format (Short answer will be worth 10 points).
26A. Using the 7 characteristics of a civilization as a guide, prove that Mesopotamia
was a civilized society. Provide an example for each characteristic AND explain its
importance in making Mesopotamia more civilized.
OR
26B. There were four main problems that Mesopotamians had to solve in order for
their early permanent settlements to succeed. Many of these problems related to
the resource of water. Explain each of these 4 problems, their solutions and how
each of them helped the first city-states to develop.
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