Mesopotamia : From Nomads to Farmers

Which of the following wasNOT an invetions of the Sumerians?

• the plow

• a system of writing

• a 365-day calendar

• the wheel

Why was Mesopotamia such a good area for growing crops

• The land was covered with heavy vegitation

• The rivers flooded, making it easier for lanters to pull out weeds that might harm crops.

• The area did not have any agricultural pests.

• The rivers flooded and deposited rich soil.

What tools did the Mesopotamians use for writing?

• A sharpened piece of reed, called a sylus used on clay tablets.

• a slender piece of wood that they dipped into colorful dyes

• a large feather pen that they dipped in ink

• a darkened reed that they dipped in mixture of charcoal and water

Besides the ruler, who had the highest position in the social heirarchy?

• a scribe

• a caraban merchant

• a priest

• a soldier in the King's army

How did the Sumerians keep time?

• They used and abacus to count the days and nights.

• They invented a calendar based on the moon and starts.

• They improved the function of sundials.

• They formulated the first mathematical equations to determine the hours ina day.

What was the result of the invention of the wheel?

• It controlled the irrigation devices to prevent flooding.

• It allowed the Sumerians to move faster in battles.

• It made people more dependent on hman strngth for transportation

• It gave the Sumerians more freedom of movement.

Which statement best dexcribes the benefits of a city-state?

• It governed surrounding lands and had its own ruler.

• It prevented wars with neighboring cities over land and water rights.

• It allowed people to engage in other professions and be educated

• It united all the people under ta central government.

Why were the ziggurats imprtant to the Sumerians?

• Scrolls that documented Mesopotamian history were ancased in ziggurats.

• They were built as tombs for the kings.

• They protected the city from invaders.

• They were built as temples to honor the gods and goddesses.

What was the first thing that the sumerians accmplished?

• nomadic hunting and gathering

• founding new city-states

• trading over long distances

• farming and domestication of animals.

How did the sumerians solve the problem of flooding?

• They diverted the flow of rivers into other areas.

• They rotated farming with nomadic herding.

• They built teraces on the mountains

• They used gated ditches and levees.