1
What made Mesopotamia a good place for early civilizations to develop?
a) Because of the high mountains and cold weather
b) Because of fertile soil from river floods
c) Because there were many natural lakes
d) Because it had access to the ocean
b) Because of fertile soil from river floods
Which best describes a Sumerian city-state?
a) A city with its own government, army, and ruler
b) A large empire with many countries
c) A type of farm built near rivers
d) A temple shaped like a pyramid
a) A city with its own government, army, and ruler
What was the main purpose of irrigation in Sumerian farming?
a) To travel faster to nearby regions
b) To fish more easily
c) To bring water to crops in dry areas
d) To build boats for trade
c) To bring water to crops in dry areas
one of the first form of writing
Cuneiform
Rulers led armies, some seen as chosen
King
Grew barley and vegetable most people worked in farming or irrigation
Farmers
Literate individual recording laws stories or business deal
Scribe
What was the name of the first writing system invented by the Sumerians?
a) Cuneiform
b) Hieroglyphics
c) Phoenician alphabet
d) Greek script
a) Cuneiform
Which of the following is TRUE about Sumerian gods?
a) Enlil was the god of love and war
b) Utu was the goddess of the moon
c) Inanna was the goddess of love and war
d) Enki was the god of the sky
c) Inanna was the goddess of love and war
1. What was unique about the Sumerian number system?
a) They used 10 as a base, like we do
b) They used 60 as a number base
c) They used 12 as a base for counting
d) They did not use numbers
b) They used 60 as a number base
What was the main purpose of a ziggurat in a Sumerian city?
a) To store grain for farmers
b) To serve as a temple and home for the gods
c) To act as a marketplace for traders
d) To be a school for children
b) To serve as a temple and home for the gods
. How did math help the Sumerians with farming and building?
a) To build stronger houses
b) To divide land and plan canals
c) To count the number of sheep
d) To write religious songs
b) To divide land and plan canals
When did the first signs of writing appear in Sumer?
a) 3500 BCE
b) 5000 BCE
c) 2000 BCE
d) 1000 BCE
a) 3500 BCE
What was one way the Sumerians used astronomy?
a) They studied stars to make art
b) They watched birds to predict the weather
c) They used astronomy to create calendars for planting
d) They looked at clouds to decide when to trade
c) They used astronomy to create calendars for planting
. Why was religion important in holding Sumerian cities together?
a) Kings and priests were not important
b) Religion had no effect on government
c) Religion helped unite the city and gave leaders divine authority
d) People didn’t believe in gods but built ziggurats anyway
c) Religion helped unite the city and gave leaders divine authority
workers laid large bricks to form a strong base on high ground
Foundation
A shrine at the top was for the priest to offer food and prayer to the gods
Temple top
cradle of civilization between Tigris & Euphrates
Mesopotamia
A giant temple stairway where priests made offering to the gods
Ziggurat
Extra resources enabling trade & job growth
Surplus
Who were the religious leaders in Sumerian society who performed rituals in ziggurats?
a) Scribes
b) Farmers
c) Kings
d) Priests
d) Priests
What lasting impact did the Sumerians have on modern society?
a) They used the base-10 system for trade
b) They were the first to use coins for money
c) They invented the alphabet still used today
d) They laid the foundation for laws, schools, and writing systems
d) They laid the foundation for laws, schools, and writing systems
Who conquered the Sumerian city-states and created the first empire around 2330 BCE?
a) Sargon of Ur
b) Gilgamesh of Uruk
c) Sargon of Akkad
d) Hammurabi of Babylon
c) Sargon of Akkad
Managed temples & ziggurats: spoke to the gods for people
Priests
Which modern time measurement comes from the Sumerians?
a) They invented the 7-day week
b) They created the 60-minute hour and 60-second minute
c) They gave us the 24-letter alphabet
d) They invented the modern calendar year
b) They created the 60-minute hour and 60-second minute